Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Twisted Space
by Miror E
Summary: During the Great Schism, humans and Pokémon were split into two different dimensions. After centuries of trying to reunite the worlds, a human-turned-Treecko somehow crosses the Dimensional Boundary, losing his memory and humanity.
1. Prologue: The Lost Village

Lookout Peak. It was a small village that overlooked the majestic prairies and forests of Herbon. About two hundred Pokémon called this peaceful cliff home, and none would trade their peaceful summit for the world. Well...all but one.

This one worked diligently during the pinnacle of the village's harvest. Berry trees lined the mountainside, flourishing with fresh produce. It was a time of laborious work, but also one of exuberant celebration. The harvest was Lookout Peak's main source of income, and a successful reaping meant a tolerable winter.

But this Pokémon, a young Sentret, craved much more than a successful harvest. He enjoyed the days he spent in Lookout Peak. However, he grew bored of the tiny farming village he lived in all his life. He read books, studied maps of the world, anything to satiate his longing for adventure.

Instead, he remained in Lookout Peak, sowing the seed and reaping the verdant berry trees as the sun climbed over the horizon. The villagers always harvested before dawn so that they could spend the rest of their day preparing for the feast tonight.

"Vigil! Look at this giant Oran Berry I found!" A Pokémon charged over to the young Sentret. It was his younger brother, Vedette, wrapping a large, blue fruit in his tiny paws. Vigil turned to see his brother's enthusiastic expression as he held the Oran Berry out with pride.

"Wow! That's a big one Vedette!" Vigil congratulated his brother.

"Wait until Mom and Dad see it!"

"Oh, we see it alright."

The brothers shifted focus to the two Furret that approached them. They examined the berry that Vedette had found.

"Oh my!" their mother cheered. "Vedette! This will be perfect for the feast tonight!"

"I think the two of you have worked hard enough today," their father smiled proudly. "We have plenty of fruit for tonight, and it seems like the adults will handle the rest of the harvest from here."

Vedette tugged on his older brother, "Vigil! Let's go play!"

"Actually, I was planning on hiking through the forest today."

"Oh! Can I come?"

"Sorry, Vedette," their mother intervened. "The forest can be dangerous. You're not old enough to go out there yet."

"Aw! But Mom!?"

"Listen to Mom, Vedette," Vigil rubbed Vedette's head. "I'll be back in time for the feast."

"Be careful out there, Vigil. Stick to the trail and don't wander off. And remember, the feast begins at dusk." his mother warned.

"Mom, I'll be alright on my own. I'm not a child anymore."

"You will always be _my_ child, Vigil. That's why I will _always_ worry about you."

His parents always did warn about the dangers of straying from the paths to Lookout Peak. Wild Pokémon lurked in the forests surrounding the solitary path that led from his village to the bottom of the mountain. Vigil payed no mind. Exploring the forest was something he had done for so long that they no longer scared him.

Today, however, would be different. Vigil was growing bored of his trivial journeys into the forest. Today, he wanted more.

Today, he would be traveling down to the bottom of Lookout Peak.

The very thought invigorated the young Sentret. He had grown so weary of these menial quests through the area around his home. A glint appeared in his eye that reflected the enthusiasm within.

Usually, he would search for his friends to see if they would join him, but the answer was almost always no. The Sentret assumed that if his friends would not accompany him into the woods, they would never hike with him down the mountain. Rather than wasting his time, Vigil let his elation take the reins and dashed out of his home.

Vigil gazed beyond the descending mountain path. Just the thought of reaching the bottom filled him with ample energy. He turned around to see Lookout Peak again, admiring how serene and peaceful it seemed underneath the morning sun. Vigil smiled, and in one swift movement, turned to begin today's adventure.

He ran for quite a bit until he realized that he would need energy to return _up_ the mountain. Vigil slowed his pace, reaching a casual stroll. Continuing down the path, the Sentret scanned his surroundings. Even in a familiar place like these woods, instinct always dominated his actions when exploring. Sometimes, it would make him so cautious, he would border paranoia. But, after many years of traversing these woods, Vigil learned to stifle his instinct.

The Sentret was exhausted by the uniform forest. Nothing could grab his attention, aside from a few Burmy and Spinarak that occupied the trees. The wild Pokémon around Lookout Peak rarely chose to be hostile, and if they did, Vigil would fight back. The Bug-types were small enough for Vigil to handle on his own. A simple smack from his large tail and a claw to the eye sufficed against many of the forest's denizens.

Vigil sighed as he continued to descend down the mountain. He had hoped that at least _something_ would happen on this little hike. Perhaps a wild Caterpie that he could whack with his tail, or an enraged Rattata that he could ram into a tree.

At last, Vigil finally got his wish. In the distance, he could see a large figure walking towards him. Both fear and excitement coursed through the Sentret's veins, and he was unsure which would overshadow the other.

Before he could make a decision, the looming figure appeared before Vigil. A green Pokémon with a blue-gray abdomen looked down upon the young Sentret with a curious frown. A Tyranitar, Vigil realized. He had never seen one in real life, and never expected to see one climbing the mountain to Lookout Peak.

Daunted, Vigil froze in place, but also returned a similar expression. Had the Tyranitar been a wild Pokémon, the Sentret would not be standing there. At least, that was the thought that helped him regain his composure.

"Hello, young Sentret," the Tyranitar greeted, plastering a smile across his face.

Vigil let out a sigh of relief, "Hello, sir."

"Do you live at the top of this mountain?"

"Yeah, I do. Are you heading to Lookout Peak?"

"Yes. I'm off to meet an old friend."

Vigil smiled. A visitor from somewhere else...Vigil smiled at the thought of the Tyranitar recounting amazing adventures from wherever he had come from.

"Where are you from?" Vigil asked, still brimming with fascination.

"I never really settle down. I enjoy wandering the land, exploring places that I have not yet seen."

"Have you been all around Herbon then?"

"Herbon, the Imber Islands, even parts of Ignis. I've roamed three of the four continents. Although, I must say I find myself partial to the lush scenery of Herbon."

The Sentret tilted his head. A Tyranitar that had never visited Avium? Vigil remembered learning about how Tyranitar thrived under desert conditions. He shook the thought out of his head, replacing it with a smile continued to get larger. His eyes sparkled with curiosity. The young Sentret would no doubt speak to this Tyranitar after he finished his trek down the mountain.

"Where are you off to, little one?"

Vigil's eyes shifted. He did not want his parents to know what he was planning on doing today. For all he knew, this Tyranitar could have been visiting _them._ "I'm just...taking a walk."

"You seem rather far from Lookout Peak to be simply 'taking a walk.'"

Vigil sighed depressingly, "Fine, I wanted to go to the bottom of the mountain. I love Lookout Peak, don't get me wrong. It's just...I've lived there all of my life, with the same people in the same place. I might still be a kid to some people, but...I want to see the world. There are four continents, and yet, I've barely scratched the surface of this one. Going to the bottom of this mountain will be my first big step to accomplish that dream. Please, if you see my parents, don't tell them that you found me here."

The Tyranitar gave Vigil an inquisitive stare, taking in all that was said to him, "Your passion to explore this world...it burns within you. You remind me of myself, when I was just a Larvitar. Keep fighting, because you will certainly achieve your dream..."

Vigil's spirit lifted as the Tyranitar continued up the mountain. However, before he was out of view, the Tyranitar finished his statement.

"Just don't be too disappointed when you experience the harsh realities that fester within the four continents."

Vigil paused and felt a chill shot up his spine. Before he could respond, the Tyranitar had already made considerable distance. He saw no point in pressing him further; that could be saved for when he returned to Lookout Peak before evening.

Taken aback by his encounter, Vigil shook his head and followed the trail downward. He kept on for what seemed like a few hours until he could see a sign in the distance. He must have been reaching new territory, because he did not recall ever seeing a sign on the trail before. Vigil walked up to the side that was written on. It was, in fact, a map to guide travelers up to Lookout Peak.

 _Wonderful,_ Vigil thought to himself. _As if I need a map of this place._

The young Sentret turned around and descended further down the mountain. Another hour passed as he walked the solemn, lonely path.

That is, until the ground beneath him began to shake.

Vigil tried to maintain his balance until the tremors proved too strong. The young Sentret collapsed, and his back rammed into a tree just off the path. Vigil stood up, digging his claws into the nearby tree as support. He held firmly against it as the tremors continued. The earth rumbled beneath him, until finally, the land grew still.

"We haven't had an earthquake in years," Vigil pondered, turning back towards the descending path. It was so tempting for him to follow the path downward. The day he had yearned for. The day he could see something new in the world.

That day, sadly, could not be today. His concern for Lookout Peak trumped his curiosity. Vigil's parents must have worried about him, especially if he cannot be found in the village.

He had to go back.

The Sentret began jogging back up the mountain. After all that effort just to reach that sign, he had to make sure that the damage was minimal. The tremors did not seem very severe to Vigil, but caution and safety were facets of his species. Even if he wanted to keep going down, his instincts would pull him back upwards like a magnet. So he succumbed to them today, in hopes that tomorrow they would not weigh him down as easily.

Vigil returned to the village after another few minutes. However, when he got there, he found that the damage was much worse than he expected.

In fact, the village _ceased to exist._

In front of the young Sentret was...emptiness. A dark, swirling oblivion spanned where Lookout Peak once was. Nothing was left. No homes, no roads...

And worst of all for Vigil, no family.

"Mom! Dad! Vedette!" he screamed their names out into the void. He repeated it, praying for an answer. He did this several times, until he finally realized that it was futile. Vigil slumped to his knees with a river of tears streaming down his eyes.

His family was gone. His village was gone. Everyone disappeared.

All except for a certain Tyranitar that stood a few feet to his right.

"Lookout Peak...a pleasant town it was," the Tyranitar grimaced, "It's a shame that this is how it ends."

The Tyranitar turned towards the hysterical Sentret. Vigil did not acknowledge his presence. Instead, he continued to sob, until the Tyranitar drew close. When he saw the shadow of the Pokémon loom over him, a piece of him snapped.

"You..." Vigil muttered, building up the anger within him, "What did you do to my home!? Where...where are my parents!?"

Vigil cemented his feet into the ground and launched his head towards the Tyranitar. He bounced off of the Tyranitar's massive frame, and before he could step back, the Tyranitar picked up the Sentret.

The Tyranitar laughed, "Your peaceful little village no longer exists. And, as much as I would enjoy throwing you into that rift with your family, I will let you leave. I see that glorious passion within your eyes, that childish gleam that harks for adventure. You even confided in me on the mountain path."

Vigil continued to struggle, but to no avail. A wave of misery and rage flooded his heart.

"It seems I did you a favor, child. Your family was holding you back from chasing that desire that burns within you. Now that they are gone, you can finally witness for yourself how demented and cruel this world is. I await the day that we meet again. I want to see that beautiful flame snuffed out after you have travelled. Now go. Become stronger, and face me again, so that I may extinguish whatever is left of your puny candlelight."

The Tyranitar pulled his arm back, sending Vigil into a panic. In one swift motion, he tossed the Sentret back down the mountain path.

Vigil's instincts kicked in despite his delirium. He opened up his arms and flattened his body. The extra fur that connected his arms to his thighs allowed him to glide on the air, slowing his descent and preventing him from taking severe physical damage. But the mental pain he endured would be a lot harder to circumvent.

Tears poured from Sentret's eyes onto the canopy below. He would not dare try and face that Tyranitar again. Doing so, his instincts told him, would cost Vigil his life. Vigil cringed at the dark truth of the situation.

His village was gone, and there was nothing he could do to bring it back.


	2. 1: From the Sky

Vigil finally landed on the mountain path, escaping any possible injury from the Tyranitar. Although, his landing was a bit rough. He never had too much experience with gliding through the air, so he could not keep himself from landing into brambles that sat just next to one of the trails.

It was hard to believe that being away from Lookout Peak was his only dream. Now that his village was no more, all the Sentret wanted to do was return home. He let out a bitter chuckle, shaking his head at the irony of the situation.

All of his tears dried up in the breeze while he was gliding away from his former home. Vigil wiped the remnants of his wet fur and began to walk down the mountain path, leaving his home behind for good.

A few moments later, Vigil reached the sign he had seen when the earthquake struck. He carefully studied the map again, frustration building up within him. He clenched his fists, then opened them wide, revealing his short, sharp claws.

"No one will need this ever again," the Sentret muttered before slashing the sign to pieces. He continued to hack away at the sign until it was nothing but shrapnel beneath his feet. Even with something to take his fury out on, Vigil could not find reprieve from his emotions. He wanted to claw out his swiftly-beating heart to put an end to the heartache.

If he could lie over and die, he would. But that Tyranitar's words were forever etched in his mind: _Now go. Become stronger, and face me again._ The only force keeping the Sentret hiking down the mountainwas his thirst for revenge, or rather, an insatiable lust for it. Vigil imagined the large Pokémon falling into the void of his own creation, where he would suffer a cruel, agonizing death.

The Sentret shook away the thoughts when they became too violent for him to focus. Resentment blurred his vision and animosity plagued his mind. The deep sorrow he once had for his family disappeared completely. All that was left was an empty husk that Vigil's mind could fill with revenge.

Deranged images would not cease clouding Vigil's mind. Part of him wished they would subside, so that he may properly grieve over his family. But another part, his survival instinct, urged them to stay, in order to fuel his will to live.

That was, until Vigil saw his brother, falling into the oblivion that condemned the village. He could see Vedette's horror-filled eyes as the rift consumed his home. Vedette's shrieks resonated with terror, screaming for comfort from his brother.

His brother, who was not there to help him in his final hour. His brother, who was not yet powerful enough to stand against the one who massacred his village.

The screaming got louder and louder, as if Vedette was nearly feet away, running towards him. Vigil turned around, hoping to see Vedette alive and well.

 _Thud!_

All of the appalling images that flooded his mind disappeared as he ran towards the source of the noise. Vigil was horrified to see a Pokémon fall to the ground in front of him.

As his vision cleared, he could finally make out what the Pokémon looked like. Its skin was a light green, with a red stomach. It wore a leaf as a tail, and it resembled many of the reptilian Pokémon Vigil had read about. Vigil recognized the Pokémon as a Treecko.

Vigil checked the collapsed Treecko for a pulse. Surprisingly, it actually survived such a high fall from...wherever he was thrown from. The Sentret shook the green Pokémon, until finally it began to stir.

The Treecko opened its eyes, revealing two amber spheres that glistened in the sunset. However, it slowly began drifting off again, moaning in pain. Vigil feared that the Pokémon might not wake up again, so he quickly shook his body again, snapping the Treecko awake.

"W-where am I?" the Treecko asked, his eyelids struggling to remain open.

Vigil did not want to answer his question, scared that those terrible thoughts would storm through his head again. "Are you alright!? You just fell out of the sky!"

The Treecko scanned his surroundings until his eyes fell upon the distressed Sentret. He blinked a few times before screaming in fear, "A talking Pokémon!?"

Vigil frowned, perplexed by the Treecko's reaction. _He can talk too,_ the Sentret thought. _Why is he so shocked?_

"H-how can you talk!?"

"A lot of Pokémon can talk," the Sentret raised an eyebrow. "I mean, you're talking right now."

The Treecko's eyes grew wide from the realization. He brought one of his verdant hands up to his face. "What!? What happened to me!? I'm not a Pokémon! I'm...I'm a _human!_ And I thought Pokémon disappeared centuries ago!"

Vigil tilted his head sideways, "You look like a completely normal Treecko to me. And I think you have your history mixed up. _Humans_ disappeared centuries ago, not Pokémon. As you can see, Pokémon are alive and..."

Vigil swallowed his words. _Not every Pokémon is doing well. I'm certainly not. And clearly, this Treecko has some problems of his own._

The Treecko began to rise from his sitting position. As he did, however, he felt an excruciating pain in his leg. Rattled by the sudden rush of pain, the Treecko fell back down, grabbing the afflicted limb.

"Ah! My leg! I think it's broken!"

"Calm down," Vigil hushed the Treecko. "There should be some Oran Berries around here somewhere. Just stay still. I'll go get some for you."

"Wait! Where the hell are you—"

Vigil was already deep into the forest before the Treecko could finish his sentence. "Great," he muttered, "Looks like I can't move until he comes back."

He looked back at his injured leg, losing himself in thought. _How did this happen? How did I become a Pokémon?_

The distraught Treecko wracked his brain for the answer, but found nothing. He had mysteriously transformed into a Pokémon, without any understanding of why or how this occurred.

 _That brown Pokémon wouldn't have the answer anyways. He's probably just as confused as I am. Or, he just thinks I'm crazy. Either way, he's a kid. Why would he have the answers?_

"I'm back!" Vigil called from behind the Treecko. Unable to turn and acknowledge the Sentret, he remained where he sat.

Vigil ran in front of the Treecko and spread out dozens of berries on the ground between them. All of them were the same round, sapphire fruit. The Treecko shot a confused glance at Vigil, wondering how a bunch of berries could heal a broken leg.

"These are Oran Berries," Vigil explained, "If you eat some, you'll start feeling better."

There was already so much that the Treecko did not understand. Rather than dwelling on it all, he brought one of the berries up to his mouth and ripped a piece out of it. The juice that flooded his mouth lacked any distinct flavor. This made the Treecko wonder if this juice was any more than water.

However, as he took another bite from the Oran Berry, the pain in his leg began to subside. It was healing at a rapid rate, but at the cost of sending the Treecko into more confusion. He pressed his paw against his forehead to resist the headache that crept in.

"Do you feel better?" Vigil asked.

"Uh, yeah actually," the Treecko continued to gnaw on his food, "What's in these berries, anyways?"

"No idea. I just know that whatever is in them can speed up the healing process for us Pokémon."

"For _you_ Pokémon. Like I said, I'm a human."

Vigil sighed in disappointment, "Alright then, if you're _really_ a human, then tell me about the human world. That _is_ where you're from, right?"

"Fine!"

The Treecko browsed his thoughts, but found nothing. He tried harder, physically pushing thoughts to the front of his mind. All that resulted from such actions was a more severe headache.

"I...I don't remember," the Treecko's head sank.

"Because humans don't exist. They haven't existed for centuries. Your head must be in worse condition than your leg. Can you at least remember your name?"

"My name? Yeah, my name is..."

A minute passed as the Treecko searched through his mind again.

"I can't remember that either. I...I can't remember _anything_."

Vigil frowned. It seemed that the Treecko's health was worse than he had anticipated. "Amnesia, huh? Well, I'm sorry to say that those Oran Berries won't help you out with that."

The Treecko began to panic, "What happened to me? You said I fell out of the sky, right? And now I'm here, as a Tree—whatever it's called—without any of my memories?"

"Hey, calm down, will you?" Vigil became stern. "Listen, I don't know what happened to you either. But if you just sit here and lose your nerve, you won't get any of the answers. We need to find someone who can help you."

The Treecko took a deep breath. _He's right. If I keep panicking, I'll never figure out anything._

"So? What are you going to do?" the Sentret stood up, extending a hand to the Treecko.

"I guess I don't really have a choice. But, where are you taking me?"

Vigil contemplated his possibilities, but all of them involved returning to Lookout Peak. Because he never left the mountain that his village sat upon, the Sentret was just as clueless as the Treecko. The two Pokémon scratched their heads simultaneously, waiting for the other to come up with answer.

The Sentret broke the silence of thought, "The first thing we could do is get to the bottom of this mountain. There's bound to be civilization somewhere nearby."

"You don't know where to go, do you?"

"Not a clue. But, I do know this mountain like the back of my paw. Just stay close, and I'm sure we'll find _someone_ who can help you."

Reluctantly, the Treecko grabbed Vigil's paw and pulled himself up. His leg still stung from the recent fall, but he could at least walk on it now.

"Are you sure you'll be alright to walk?"

"I think so. Just not too fast please."

Vigil nodded, "In the meantime, you'll need a name. Since you can't remember yours, I have a perfect name for you."

"And that would be...?"

"Your name can be V-Ve..."

Vedette was the only name that could come out of his mouth. No, he couldn't name this Treecko after his brother. His memory would haunt him every time he so much as looked at him.

Vigil steadied his mind, searching for a new name, "V-V... _Fallen._ " Vigil smiled at his idea, "You know, because I met you after you fell from the sky. I think it has a nice ring to it. You say that you're a human who became a Pokémon, and seemingly _fell_ into our world. I still think that sounds delusional, but since you don't remember anything else, we'll just have to stick with it."

"Fallen..." the Treecko examined how the name flowed off of his tongue. He wasn't really sure why, but something about the name resonated with him. "I like it," he grinned.

"Well, alright Fallen." Vigil shook his hand, "My name's Vigil, and I'm a Sentret. You and I are going to get your memory back somehow. Besides, I've got nothing better to do."

"... _Right._ Say, you're around my age, right? Won't your family worry about you?"

An awkward laugh forcibly escaped Vigil's lips, "Oh, they won't mind. Trust me."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it."

Vigil's smile twitched from prying it open. Fallen could easily read the facade that Vigil was putting up. Behind the Sentret's ardent eyes was a hurricane of despondency and misery. The negativity emitting from the Normal-type resonated. It was enough for Fallen's tail to stand on end. The Treecko, although curious, kept himself from pressing further. Surely driving the conversation would send Vigil spiraling into grief.

Fallen could not have that. As much as he wanted to search on his own, Vigil at least knew the way down this mountain. Leaving this Sentret would most likely lead to an onslaught of disasters that would result in a bitter end.

Vigil, on the other hand, remembered that he tore the map of the mountain to shreds. Because of that, Fallen was oblivious to the fact that maps were scattered along the various paths up to Lookout Peak. At least he could hang onto someone for just a little while he coped with the day's terrible series of events.

* * *

"Fallen, I think we're almost to the bottom of the mountain," Vigil tried to keep a cheerful smile on his face when addressing his new friend, only for it to seem unauthentic.

"How can you tell? Everything on this mountain path looks exactly the same."

"Because the path is leveling out. You haven't noticed?"

The Treecko shrugged, "Not really. Like I said, everything looks the same to me."

Vigil frowned, "Not many Pokémon have eyes like us Sentret. We're naturals when it comes to seeing what other Pokémon can't."

"For the last time, I'm not a Poké—"

Before Fallen could finish his sentence, he was tackled to the ground. Pinning him to the ground was a Spinarak, its crimson fangs soaked in venom. Drops of the Spinarak's poison landed on Fallen's chest, sending him into a frenzy.

"Ah! Get it off! Get it off!" the Treecko squirmed and writhed underneath the Spinarak as the drops of poison seeped into his skin. "It hurts!"

Vigil, thrown off by Fallen's sudden screaming, turned to his friend. The Spinarak didn't seem to be biting into him, causing the Sentret to wonder why Fallen was in so much pain. But, rather than ponder more, Vigil dug his feet into the dirt and charged the Spinarak. He opened his claws wide and slashed at the Spinarak, slicing three gashes on the top of its abdomen.

Frightened, the Spinarak limped away, but not before Vigil sent another set of claws through its face. The blood loss was becoming too much for the Spinarak. However, it continued to stagger away in an attempt to preserve its life. Vigil tackled the dying Pokémon into a tree, leaving a sanguine stain at the point of impact. The Spinarak landed on its back, inert and lifeless.

Fallen struggled to pull himself up. His amber eyes became bloodshot, and a sickly violet tint shaded his face and cheeks. He turned to Vigil, who was standing over the Spinarak's corpse.

"You k- _killed_ it," Fallen looked upon the carcass with a mortified stare.

Vigil noticed the Treecko's discolored face, "Did that Spinarak bite you?"

"You just _killed_ another Pokémon."

Vigil sighed, "It was a wild Pokémon that tried to kill _you_. I'm pretty sure that makes it justified. Who knows what would've happened if I let it return to its web? That Spinarak could've sent an army on us. Killing it was the only option."

Fallen staggered backwards from the combination of fatigue and dread that swept through his body. Vigil caught his friend, and gently laid him on the path.

"You're poisoned," Vigil scowled. "Because you're a Grass-type, poison can easily enter your system. Had the Spinarak bit you, chances are that you wouldn't even be conscious right now."

Fallen turned to cough away from Vigil, "Is there some sort of antidote?"

"You're in luck. Pecha Berries have the ability to neutralize any toxins that Pokémon produce. Just one small problem though..."

"What is it?"

"Pecha Berries don't grow naturally on this mountain."

"W-what?" Urgency tried to escape from Fallen's mouth, but he was slowly losing consciousness.

"The village at the top of the mountain grew them, but..." Memories of Lookout Peak flooded his head, forcing him to shake them away. He couldn't tell Fallen that his village no longer existed to even _gather_ the berries for him.

"But what?" Fallen wondered why Vigil trailed off.

The Sentret finally found a valid excuse, "I wouldn't be able to get there and be back for a few hours. I can't leave you here that long, especially now that the sun is setting. You'd be dead long before I return, whether by some wild Pokémon or the poison attacking your circulatory system."

Even though that was not the real reason he couldn't get Pecha Berries, Vigil was not lying. No matter what, returning to Lookout Peak was not an option. Fallen would surely be dead by then. So, Vigil thought of the only solution he could to keep his new friend alive. Fallen was the only friend he had left, and he could not bare to see him end up like his village, like Vedette.

Vigil mustered up as much strength as he could and lifted Fallen over his shoulder. The Treecko was unable to communicate his dissent, for he was on the verge of fainting. After struggling for a bit, Vigil had the Treecko mounted over him. Using gravity to his advantage, Vigil walked steadily down the mountain.

"How are you feeling, Fallen?"

The Treecko had already succumb to the toxins within him.

"I better get you to some Pecha Berries quick, then. Just...hold out as long as you can."

Fallen did not answer.

"I know we just met, but...I refuse to lose you too. I've already seen everyone that I love die today. I don't want to lose the one glimmer of hope I have in this world. So please...don't die just yet. Please."

A single tear shed from Vigil's eyes.


	3. 2: Trust None or Trust Many

Fallen stirred for a few moments, then slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was solemn and sickly, still feeling the effects of the spinarak's venom in his body. He tried to stand up, but sunk back onto the ground—if he could call it that.

Surrounding Fallen was a realm of darkness. He had seemingly sunken into oblivion, without a remnant of his world in sight. There was nothing beneath his feet, but somehow he could stand, as if the vacuum around him was solid.

 _So this is it. End of the line. I don't even get to remember who I was or where I came from. Instead, I get to die with the only piece of me being a broken leg and a helping of poison. That's it. I will die as no one at all._

" _I would not be so certain of your demise._ "

A frigid air filled the void that Fallen drifted in. "W-what do you mean?"

" _You are not dead just yet, human."_

"Who are you?"

Everything fell silent. Fallen scanned his surroundings but saw nothing but the endless void of black.

"Hello?" he called out.

" _It seems you have fallen into the abyss."_

"What? What do you mean?"

Silence filled the vacuum again.

"Answer me!" Fallen coughed. His yelling took quite the toll on his body.

" _You want answers? To what?"_

"Everything! Why am I a Pokémon? What do you mean I 'fell in?' Why can't I remember anything?"

" _My apologies, child,"_ the voice began to fade away into the darkness. _"It is...becoming quite difficult to hear you...It seems you...are waking up..."_

"Wait! Don't go! What about my answers!?"

The voice disappeared. As it did, however, a bright light sliced through the void, tearing through the solitary world that Fallen stood within. Fallen closed his eyes when the light proved too strong for them.

* * *

"Hey, are you awake?"

Fallen's eyes scrunched as he rolled over in his hay bed. All he wanted was a few extra minutes of rest. He needed to ensure that when he woke up, he would be back in the human world that he lived in, and the recent events were part of some ridiculous nightmare. Fallen opened his eyes slowly, hopeful that he was waking up in his own reality.

He sat up, gaze fixated on his body. The false reality he hoped he was imagining seemed to be as real as it was before he fell asleep. His body was short and green with a red abdomen, much like how it was...yesterday? Hours ago? Fallen didn't know how long he had been asleep.

What was more alarming, however, was the meticulous wrap that covered Fallen's left leg. Why did he need a cast? Aside from a limp, the treecko was walking on it fine after Vigil gave him those berries. And Vigil...where was Vigil? More importantly, where was _Fallen?_

Fallen ignored the cast that swallowed his leg and pushed himself upright. He needed to know where he ended up after he was knocked unconscious by the spinarak poison.

"Easy there. You don't want to strain yourself. Just because the poison has been neutralized, doesn't mean it's been completely drained from your system."

Fallen turned around to see a round, pink pokémon watching him. Large turquoise eyes consumed a majority of the Pokémon's face—or its body? Its hands and feet were connected to the sides and bottom of his head. Fallen raised an eyebrow to this Pokémon's odd appearance.

"W-who are you?"

"Me?" The pink pokémon smiled with pride, "My name is Waver. Waver the jigglypuff. And you?"

"Um," Fallen tried to locate his true name within his thoughts, but sadly, the amnesia did not recede at all, "F-Fallen."

"Well, Fallen, you're lucky that friend of yours brought you here in time. Any later and you would've died. Thank Arceus you had my parents and I to look after you. I doubt anyone else could've given you proper treatment as quickly as we did."

"You...treated me?"

"Yeah! We had to force-feed you a blend of Pecha Berries to offset the spinarak venom, and then Oran Berries to bring your strength back up. Then, we wrapped up that leg of yours so it could heal the right way. Otherwise, you would've been stuck with a crooked limp for the rest of your life. You should be able to take it off now. After all of the Oran Berries we fed you, your leg should be good as new."

"How do I take this off?"

"Never worn a cast before?"

"Uh..." Fallen wasn't sure if telling Waver the truth about his situation. He wasn't even sure if _Vigil_ believed that he was a human who lost all of his memories. "No. Never broke a bone in my life."

Waver chuckled, "The first time always hurts the most. How'd you break it anyways?"

Fallen said the first thing that came to mind, "I, uh, fell from a tree."

"You're kidding me? Treecko were born to climb trees, and you fell?"

Fallen tried to formulate a better lie in his head, "That Spinarak came out of nowhere and knocked me off! Then, it pounced on me."

Waver raised an eyebrow, "That would explain a lot. Had you clumsily fallen off of a tree and broke your leg, you'd be setting a terrible example for your species."

Fallen, for whatever reason, took offense to Waver's comment. He was not a real treecko, but he still felt an odd sense of pride by wearing the title. Perhaps he suffered a concussion after falling out of the sky.

"Why do you look so defensive? It was just a joke! Now sit down, will you? If you want to walk without that cast, I suggest you let me take it off."

The irritated treecko sat on the ground and lifted his swathed leg towards Waver. Waver, although lacking opposable thumbs (or fingers in general) carefully untied the cast that held Fallen's leg. A pile of gauze lay on the floor as Fallen stood up again, taking a few steps to assess his stability.

"Wow! It's like new!" Fallen laughed at his remark, because the leg essentially _was_ new.

"You're welcome," Waver said. "My family's been having breakfast with your friend, but I insisted that I wait for you to wake up. So come on, we've got loads of berries to eat."

Fallen was about to respond before a low grumble filled the bedroom.

"I'll take that as a yes," Waver said.

The jigglypuff escorted Fallen to the dining room. There, three pokémon were gathered and eating their breakfast. One of them was Vigil, who sloppily devoured all of the berries in front of him. The other two were pokémon that Fallen could not recognize. They were both the same light pink color as Waver, and one of them did resemble him quite a bit. The other one was much wider and rounder, like Waver, but besides that, there was not much else that made them seem related. The larger one even kept an egg in its stomach, like a giant pouch attached to its body.

"Ma! Dad! He's awake!"

The pokémon at the table turned their heads to Waver and Fallen. Vigil's face perked up, and with a mouth stuffed with food, charged at the treecko with open arms. Vigil wrapped Fallen in his embrace and squeezed him with all of his might.

"Thank Arceus you're okay!" Vigil said, mouth overflowing with berries.

Fallen's eyes darted around embarrassingly, "Uh, hi Vigil."

"You two seem like great friends," Waver said. "How long have you known each other?"

"A day," Vigil answered.

The jigglypuff staggered at the abrupt response, "Pardon? A _day_?"

"Yeah! I met Fallen when he—"

Fallen slammed his hand over the sentret's mouth, "I took a wrong turn on the mountain path and stumbled upon him. He found me in the tree canopy mumbling angrily to myself while I tried to find my way."

Waver seemed less than convinced, but decided not to press the duo further, "Uh-huh. Well then, Fallen, you must be hungry. All of our berries and herbs are grown by us. I would suggest more Pecha Berries than anything, so that any residual toxins can be flushed out of your system. Poison tends to stick around much longer in the blood of Grass-types. You're lucky; had you been bitten by that Spinarak, it would've taken _days_ to expel from your body."

Fallen cringed at the thought, "Right. Just a question, though: which ones are Pecha Berries?"

"You're kidding, right? You've been travelling up a mountain riddled with Poison-type Pokémon, and you don't even know what a Pecha Berry looks like?"

Fallen fumbled through his thoughts for a convincing story. Vigil casted him a worried frown, for he didn't understand that his treecko friend was trying to hide the truth from Waver.

"Fallen is an amnesiac," Vigil told Waver, prompting Fallen to shoot him an irritated glare.

Waver blinked, unsure of what to take of this information, "Well...I guess that makes some more sense. Pecha Berries are pink, and they recede into a point at the end. If anything, my parents will point them out for you."

The treecko nodded, then approached the breakfast table, leaving Vigil and Waver alone. Waver, suspicious of the two pokémon's story, gave the sentret in front of him a skeptical frown.

"What's the matter?" Vigil asked.

"Nothing," Waver said dryly. "I just wish you would tell me what _actually_ happened on that mountainside yesterday."

"Didn't Fallen tell you?"

"He said that you met him on the mountain path while he was climbing a tree looking for the right path. While he was distracted, a Spinarak knocked him out of the tree, breaking his leg, and then poisoned him."

"I might be young, Vigil, but I've seen plenty of broken bones in my life. Both of my parents devote their lives to healing Pokémon, so they taught me a lot about their work. I know I didn't see the initial injury, but after you fed him those Oran Berries, the damage was still severe. You don't get that kind of damage from falling off of a tree, Vigil. Some pokémon would have to fall maybe a hundred feet to shatter their leg the way Fallen did. So, care to explain how Fallen _really_ broke his leg?"

"W-why did Fallen tell you that?" Vigil stuttered. "N-none of that happened at all."

Hearing the jigglypuff's words made Vigil doubtful. He still couldn't bring himself to believe that Fallen was actually a human. This lie really made Vigil wonder if Fallen even had amnesia to begin with.

"What happened then?" Waver wondered.

"I was walking down the mountain path, until I heard screaming behind me. When I turned around, I saw Fallen, _falling_ from who-knows-where. He landed on the ground, and I ran to him. I found him some Oran Berries and helped him down the mountain, that was, until a spinarak popped out of the forest and pinned Fallen to the ground. I killed it, and then I carried him all the way here. Thank Arceus you live so close to the mountain, otherwise he really would've...well, I'd rather not think about it."

Waver carefully analyzed the Sentret's words. It made more sense in his head than the silly story that Fallen made up. Still, the jigglypuff wasn't convinced.

"So he just fell out of the sky? If you're going to lie, at least make it somewhat plausible."

"I'm not lying! I have no idea how he got here or where he came from, but I know what I saw. It's your choice whether you believe me or not."

Waver turned to the table, watching as Fallen quietly ate his assortment of berries. "I don't think I've ever met a pokémon as strange as him. But...the rest of your story is believable enough. Maybe a skarmory carried him all the way to the mountain or something. You probably just didn't see it."

"Yeah," Vigil said. "I only heard him scream when he was already past the canopy. And since he can't remember what happened—or at least, that's what he _says_ —I don't have the slightest clue about it."

"You don't trust him very much, do you?"

"Well, our little conversation has proven that he's a bad liar. I don't really know what to think about Fallen. I want to believe he's a good Pokémon; I really do. But..."

Vigil already had his fair share of liars in the past day. First he encountered a tyranitar that claimed he was visiting a friend, only to wipe Lookout Peak off of the map. Now, he was dealing with a treecko who allegedly got amnesia, and the only remaining vestige of his memory was the realization that he was a human once upon a time.

 _Why did I choose to trust him so easily?_ Vigil thought. _I didn't believe him, and I still don't believe that he was a human. He's delusional, or worse. I already had to deal with that tyranitar, and now, I'm probably being lied to again._

Memories from the past day flashed through Vigil's mind. _No. I don't want to think about that now. Please, just let me have a few moments of peace._

"Are you alright?" Waver asked.

Vigil nodded, "Just trying to put the pieces together in my head."

Fallen, upon finishing his breakfast, returned to the two young pokémon. Waver smiled at the treecko, trying to shroud the underlying qualm. Vigil, on the other hand, began studying him, trying to answer the question he asked himself just a bit ago.

Fallen gave Waver an awkward smile, "Thanks for the breakfast, and for, well, everything else."

Waver returned an equally distant grin, "Yeah. Don't mention it. Say, where are you two off to? You know, now that you've rested up a bit?"

Vigil pursed his lips, "Good question. In all honesty, we don't _have_ anywhere to go."

"Hm. Well, I have to run some errands in town for my parents. Why don't you two join me? My parents aren't super busy today, so there won't be much to do here."

Vigil's beady black eyes lit up as he turned to Fallen. Any mistrust he had for his new acquaintance completely disappeared. "That sounds like fun! Are you coming, Fallen? Maybe someone in town can help you with your amnesia."

Fallen thought about it for a bit, then shrugged, "Like Waver said, there's not much to do here. Might as well."

Although Vigil and Waver were happy to have him around, Fallen wasn't as excited about tying himself to them. He wanted his memories back as fast as possible, without having to carry others along with him. Thoughts of being a human plagued his mind. He pondered what the human world might have looked like, and scoured his brain for remnants of what he left behind—his family, his home, his friends. Did he even have any of that? Was there even a _world_ to go back to?

If Fallen could hold onto a single piece of his former self, he would be satisfied. Just one memory. It didn't even have to hold any significance. He just wanted to remember _something_ about the life he lived prior to becoming a pokémon.

"Fallen, are you okay?" Vigil asked, for Fallen had not lifted his head for some time.

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine. Let's get going."

Waver nodded, "I'll go grab my bag. Wait right here."


	4. 3: Growing Tension

Amethyst City

All of Vigil's worries were abandoned once he laid eyes upon the city. It took quite a bit of walking to finally reach their destination, but at last, Amethyst City came into view. Waver described the place as a booming metropolis, a hub for many in the vast grasslands of Herbon. It was a world-renowned trading post, where many merchants gathered to barter their goods.

Vigil's heart raced at the thought of meeting so many new pokémon. At last, he could finally begin making his dream a reality. Amethyst City was the first step, one massive leap from the cliff he used to call home.

Fallen, on the other hand, seemed unimpressed by the city's grandeur. In fact, he was rather apathetic to the whole ordeal. All he saw was the cobblestone road that spanned before him. He only cared to find some pokémon who could restore his memories. Didn't matter where, didn't matter how. Only that his memories returned to him.

Waver noticed the wide-eyed wonder in the sentret's face and laughed, "You're from Lookout Peak, but you've never been to Amethyst City?"

Vigil became confused, "H-how did you know I was from Lookout Peak?"

"I've only ever seen sentret and furret come down that mountain path. Plus, farmers from that village come by every year around this time to sell their crops in Amethyst City. I'm surprised I never saw you before, especially because we're always in the city selling herbs. I assumed you were coming down the mountain to sell berries from the harvest."

Vigil scratched his head awkwardly, "I-I've never left Lookout Peak until yesterday."

"Really?" Waver asked. "Shouldn't you be headed back then? Your family is probably worried about you."

Just the word "family" tugged at the sentret's heartstrings.

"Don't worry. They know I'm alright."

"Oh really?" Waver grew suspicious again.

"Trust me. We sentret have very powerful instincts. We're good at telling when something is wrong."

"Whatever you say, Vigil," Waver shrugged.

Although he wasn't paying too much attention, Fallen wondered why Vigil continued to dismiss his family. On the mountain trail, he said they wouldn't worry about him being gone. Fallen recalled how the sentret would tense up at the mention of his parents. However, he was oblivious to how pokémon instincts worked. The concept of instincts potentially changing his way of thinking was frightening.

"So what do we have to do in the city again?" Vigil asked.

"We're spending a majority of the day bartering medical supplies with merchants. But first, I have to put up a job request in the Alliance base. We probably won't be back until sunset."

"The Alliance base?" Vigil wondered.

Waver laughed, "Lookout Peak _really_ doesn't get too many visitors, does it?"

The sentret scowled at his comment.

"The Alliance is a place devoted to helping pokémon in need. They're an organization of pokémon teams that help the public in any way they can. All you need to do to get their help is to put up a request on their job board, which is exactly what we're going to do today."

"Why do you need their help?" Vigil asked.

"My parents have Alliance pokémon send medical supplies to certain locations on Herbon. We heard from a few of the locals the other day that a pack of wild arcanine attacked a village on the other side of Herbon. They set the entire village on fire, and so, we need to send over a shipment of Rawst Berries and bandages to assist the wounded."

Fallen cringed at the mention of fire. He wasn't sure why, but fire was something he needed to stay far away from.

"A pack of arcanine on Herbon?" Vigil was shocked. "I thought they only lived on Ignis."

"Some wild arcanine and growlithe still enjoy the grassy savannahs in eastern Herbon. At least, that was what some of the merchants told me when I asked."

"Uh, if you don't mind me asking..."

The sentret and jigglypuff turned to Fallen, startled by his decision to join the conversation. The two of them thought he wouldn't speak until they got to the city, and only because he would be searching for someone to help him. _Fallen_ was even surprised that he spoke up. However, the question he needed to ask was crucial. He could not gauge how long he would be in this world, so understanding the basic geography of it was a necessity.

"Where is Herbon and Ignis? And what the heck is an arcanine?"

Waver sighed, "Amnesia really hit you hard, huh?" He turned to Vigil, "You want to explain?"

Vigil shrugged, turning to Fallen, "Our world is separated into four continents. Right now, we're on Herbon, the largest of all of them. It lies in the center portion of the planet. Ignis is a large volcanic island many miles east, and it's home to many fire-type pokémon, like arcanine and growlithe."

"I think you're already familiar with wild pokémon, given your spinarak encounter," Waver added. "But they're essentially pokémon that never truly conformed to societal norms when they were set up so long ago. They live in the areas around cities, like the mountain below Lookout Peak, and can be hostile or timid. Many of them usually lean more to being timid, but when the opportunity arises, they aren't afraid of showing their fangs."

Fallen did his best to conceal the angst that crept into him, "So we don't have to worry about pokémon attacking us out of nowhere when we go to the city, right?"

"Our civilization is good, but it's not perfect. I can't even count how many times I've had supplies stolen from me. Criminals can be especially detrimental in a place like Amethyst City, where goods are ripe for the taking."

"Oh," Fallen turned away.

"Don't worry too much, Fallen," Vigil patted him on the shoulder. "I'm sure we'll be fine!"

" _Sure we will,_ " Fallen deadpanned.

The three pokémon now stood in front of a large, wooden archway on the edge of Amethyst City. Fallen squinted at the curvature that connected the two pillars. He took particular notice of the strange imprints that were etched onto the arch's surface. Each mark was different, but they all resembled footprints. At least, that was what Fallen speculated.

"Uh, what are those symbols up there?" Fallen pointed at the archway.

"You forgot about footprint runes too?" Waver asked in disbelief. "Footprint runes are our written language! You're telling me you remember how to speak, but you can't remember how to read?"

Vigil, remembering that Fallen claimed he was once human, stepped in, "Who knows, Waver? Maybe Fallen never _learned_ how to read. Can't remember what you never knew, right?"

Waver pondered it for a moment, "I guess so."

Fallen sighed, "What does it say then?"

"It says, 'Welcome to Amethyst City.' Don't worry, Fallen. We'll be here to read anything for you," Vigil said.

That wasn't something Fallen wanted. But without understanding footprint runes, he would have a lot of difficulty traversing the continents. He wondered if he could even read a map without needing to learn their written language.

"Alright," Waver said irritably, "Well, if you're both done stalling, I'd rather get to the Alliance building now instead of later. If I can get this request put up early, a team might take it immediately. That means that these supplies can get to the village much faster, and that means I get out of the house for once."

Fallen caught up to Waver, who was already walking through Amethyst City, "What do you mean by that? You said one of their teams was going to deliver the supplies for you. How does that get you out of the house?"

" _Well—_ you didn't hear this from me, but—I changed the request to an escort job. Not only will that team be transporting the supplies..."

"They'll be taking you too."

Waver nodded, "Listen, I love what I do. Healing pokémon has been a wonderful experience for me. It's just...aside from Amethyst City, I don't really get to see too many places in Herbon. I figured that this might be a good chance to finally go see the world."

Vigil couldn't help but empathize with the young jigglypuff, "I feel the exact same way. When I met Fallen on the mountain trail, I _had_ to take advantage of the good fortune. It's been a dream of mine to travel the continents, just like you, Waver. And no, Fallen, I didn't help you out of my own selfishness. It was just a side benefit of saving you."

Fallen didn't know how to respond, "Uh, t-thanks Vigil."

The three pokémon continued through the streets of Amethyst City. Vigil and Fallen were fascinated by the dozens of merchant tents that lined the many pathways through the city. Pokémon roamed with wandering eyes, inspecting the assortment of items that each tent sold.

This was nothing like the society Vigil was used to. Lookout Peak was a very simple village. Merchants rarely came by to sell their goods, but even when they came, most of the villagers wouldn't even buy. Crops were never scarce because their harvest was plentiful each year, and they never saw a use for any other items. Here, the city was oversaturated with markets, with pokémon flocking to them, trading and bartering. It was the exact antithesis of Vigil's old home.

Fallen was intrigued for different reasons. Various pokémon passed him by, each a different size and shape from the last. He was frightened by the disgruntled expression of a Nidoking, but warmed by the jubilant smile of a Togekiss. They were all so peculiar to him.

However, he also feared that perhaps these pokémon would be able to figure out if he was truly a treecko. His eyes darted frantically away from a shieldon that made eye contact with him. Sweat began to pour from his reptilian hands as anxiety shot an icy thorn into him.

"Say, how much longer until we reach the Alliance base?" Fallen nervously asked Waver.

"Not too long now. Look, it's starting to come into view."

Waver pointed to a hill in the distance. On it sat a massive crimson tent with matching red, white, and green wings protruding from the sides. A menacing saffron beak jutted from above the open slot in the tent, with solemn, fiery eyes that looked down upon the city. No other market in town could compare to the colossal pokémon tent.

" _That's_ the Alliance base!?" Vigil was completely stunned. "It's incredible! It's shaped just like a Ho-oh!"

"Yup. That's the base. You get used to its size after a few trips."

Fallen stared into the ho-oh's piercing scarlet eyes. They were merely an artistic decision, but that austere, intense stare daunted the treecko. And yet, as much as he struggled to avert his gaze, he was fixated upon the base's exterior.

After a few moments, Fallen stumbled backwards, landing on the stones beneath him. The treecko shook his head rapidly in order to reorient himself, and standing over him was a pokémon he did not recognize. She was covered by an ivory fur, complemented by patches of indigo on its legs, hands, head, and around its neck like a scarf. Its amber eyes and rose pupils scowled fiercely upon Fallen.

"Watch where you're going! I've got places to be, kid!" its voice was rather sharp and heavily inflected, with a feminine twang.

"Ugh, sorry. I'm pretty new around here—"

"That doesn't give you an excuse to run into people! Geez, kid! Where are your parents?" the pokémon's eye twitched indignantly.

Fallen did his best to formulate a lie in his head, "Ah, well, they're—"

"Forget it! I don't have time to be dealing with you!" The pokémon scrunched her eyes closed. A thin, blue aura expelled from her body, and her large white ears unfolded to reveal another pair of golden eyes. Fallen winced at the sight, shoving his arms in front of his face to protect himself.

"No, wait! I said I was sorry! Please don't hurt me!" he cried.

"Relax, will you?" the pokémon peeked from her true eye. "No one's trying to hurt you. I'm just getting you off the ground."

Unconvinced, Fallen continued to grovel until he soon became veiled in the pokémon's energy. His mouth slammed shut, and his body levitated for a bit. Terror consumed the poor treecko's mind as the pokémon gently placed him on his feet over the cobblestone road.

"There. Try not to end up on the ground again."

Fallen shuddered, "Uh, r-right."

The white pokémon walked past Fallen, her fur brushing against his shoulder. Fallen trembled as her coarse fur brushed his reptilian skin.

"Fallen? What are you doing?" a familiar voice called out to him.

Vigil and Waver ran towards the distressed treecko, masks of concern both plastered on their faces.

"Why do you look so scared?" Waver asked.

"T-t-that pokémon just...it—"

"Spit it out, Fallen!" Vigil urged.

"It _picked_ me up! Without even touching me!"

"What Pokémon?" Vigil looked over Fallen's shoulder.

"It was..." Fallen turned around and scanned the crowd until he could see the white Pokémon speaking to one of the merchants. "That one! That white one! We bumped into each other, and she got mad at me! Then her ears opened up and she started glowing! All of a sudden, I was floating in the air! Then, she put me down and walked away!"

"Whoa there, Fallen," Waver hushed him, trying to take in Fallen's hurried tale. "Slow down a bit. That pokémon is a meowstic. It's a psychic-type, meaning that it can use its mind to pull off incredible feats, like how it used telekinesis to lift you into the air. I'm sure she was just trying to pick you up after you bumped into her."

"So you're telling me there are _more_ pokémon that can do that?" Fallen stared at Waver, utterly mortified.

"Yeah, but don't worry. Psychic-types are probably the least likely to be encountered in the wild. They were the first to transcend from their feral instincts and learn from the humans, back when they existed. Most of them are too smart to rely on those anymore."

"Oh, well that's...reassuring, I guess. Humans must've really influenced pokémon then."

Waver glanced skeptically at Fallen, "I'm surprised you even remember what a human is. They went extinct centuries ago. You know that, but you don't know what a psychic-type pokémon is capable of, something that is alive and thriving?"

"Hey! I'm just as confused as you are, Waver! What's your problem?" Fallen yelled defensively.

"My _problem_ is that you're a terrible liar, Fallen!" Waver accused. "I bet you don't even _have_ amnesia!"

"Can you two stop fighting for two seconds!?"

Fallen and Waver turned to an irritated sentret, eyes locked on his two friends, "I'd like to get all of our work done _before_ sundown. You know, so we don't have to deal with thieves and bandits that lurk during the night."

Waver sighed, sending a malicious glare at Fallen, "Fine. Let's get to the Alliance base and finally put this whole amnesia thing to rest."

Vigil patiently waited for Fallen's answer, but the treecko was already becoming detached from the two the them again. He swallowed his aggravation and began walking towards the Alliance base, without any regard for the two pokémon accompanying him.


	5. 4: Nothing to Fear

Fallen stood in front of the Alliance base. His head tilted backwards, not to bask in the tent's grandeur, but because he was deterred by the ho-oh's acute stare. It petrified him to see those burning eyes reach into his soul and judge his character. It probably realized that Fallen was not truly a pokémon, and was preparing several ways to destroy the atrocity that stood before him.

Vigil and Waver finally caught up to the treecko. They were both rather on-edge after their argument just moments ago. Fallen, with some help from Vigil, did his best to keep his secret from Waver, but he continuously pushed them. It would only be a matter of time before he found out that Fallen was once a human.

Waver stepped in front of the two pokémon. "Shall we?" he gestured them inside.

Fallen and Vigil followed the jigglypuff into the Alliance base. At first, all the two saw was the wooden balcony that they stood upon, the tent covers encasing the ground around them. There was also a wooden railing that kept any Pokémon from the edge. Vigil wondered what the fence was put up for, so he ran towards it.

The siding was taller than the sentret, allowing him to sneak on all fours to the edge of the cliff. He looked down and saw dozens, maybe even _hundreds_ of pokémon congregating below. Several tunnels branched out in different directions, but all of them returned to the central area directly underneath Vigil and the others.

Vigil, still entranced by the breadth of the Alliance, turned to his treecko friend, "Fallen! You have to see this!"

Fallen cast the sentret a baffled glance, then followed him to the edge. Too short to be supported by the railing, he mimicked Vigil and lay down just over the lip.

The treecko quickly slithered away from the cliff, dismayed by the depth of the base. Memories of falling from the sky haunted him, urging him to turn back and stay far away from the tent.

"Over here, guys," Waver called.

Fallen turned to the jigglypuff, who was gesturing towards a staircase hidden in the peripherals of the tent entrance. No wonder they didn't see it when they first walked in. Unless they scanned the room in its entirety, they never would've spotted it until they started leaving.

Waver took notice of the treecko's quivering gaze, "Why do you look so nervous, Fallen? This place ring any bells?"

Fallen immediately shook off the distress, "Staring down there reminded me of yesterday, that's all."

"You fell from a tree, right? Don't tell me you're scared of heights after one fall."

Fallen scowled, "No, I'm not afraid of heights. I'm afraid of nearly dying again."

It took so much effort for Fallen to forge lies for Waver. He contemplated just telling the jigglypuff everything, just to get him to stop pressing for answers. He decided against it with the belief that telling him could ruin everything. They were in a place where Waver could easily report such a phenomenon. Fallen didn't want that. He just wanted to return home without any trouble, wherever home may have been.

" _Right,_ " Waver rolled his eyes. "Well, let's get going. You too Vigil!"

Vigil's head popped up from the edge. He scurried over to the others, eagerly awaiting the marvels that lay below.

As they descended the stairs, the three of them became engulfed by the sounds of pokémon under them. Their chatter drowned the air around them, as if they were back on the streets of Amethyst City. The balcony seemed to be the only reprieve from the tumultuous city life, a reticence that Fallen yearned desperately for.

When they reached the bottom, Waver guided them through the tunnel directly across from the foot of the stairwell. Vigil walked by Waver's side, and Fallen followed from behind. The corridor was tight, big enough for only two large pokémon to walk side by side. The walls were dug out in a smooth stone arch and painted a bright crimson with a golden trim where the floor and wall met. Torches were mounted high above the ceiling, providing ample light from their odd cerulean flames.

"Say, Waver. Why are those torches blue?" Vigil wondered.

"Oh! They use wisps from ghost-types to fuel the lights in this place. Normal flames would make it much darker down here, and sacrifice all the oxygen down here."

Vigil nodded his head, "Okay. I thought it was just for show."

Fallen ignored their conversation from that point. Now would have been a perfect time to leave. They were so distracted by their surroundings. Would they even realize he was gone? He could start searching the town for someone to cure his amnesia. He could get to the bottom of it all.

Or maybe, he didn't even have to look that far for help. There were plenty of pokémon here, in the base. One of them had to have some mystical power to alleviate Fallen.

Knowing this, the treecko stopped moving. He hesitated for a moment to check if his companions were really as oblivious as he thought. The two pokémon continued down the hallway, completely forgetting about the treecko that once ambled behind them.

 _Perfect,_ Fallen thought. _Some peace and quiet._

"Hey! Get out of the way!"

Fallen quickly stumbled forward, losing his balance and flopping to the ground. He turned to see an aggravated yellow pokémon glaring down at him. It appeared to stand at around Fallen's height, with eyes that resembled rose petals and ebony hair that dragged onto the wooden floor.

In a matter of seconds, Fallen lifted himself up. He was not ready to be levitated again by some psychic-type, so he got up before it even had a chance.

"Sorry! Won't happen again!" he smiled nervously.

"Whatever," the Pokémon spoke with a sharp, feminine voice like the Meowstic he met earlier. She rolled her eyes, walking away from Fallen.

The treecko's heart skipped a beat as he watched her pass by. The thick mass of obsidian hair was not what it appeared to be. In fact, lagging behind the pokémon was a giant mouth, fangs bulging from between its lips.

Fallen turned and ran in the opposite direction. After a few seconds, he was back in the foyer, encompassed by a mob of unfamiliar creatures. Some clumped together in small groups, sharing closure. Others hurried past the treecko into other parts of the base.

 _Where do I even start looking?_ _I don't even know what these Pokémon are, let alone if they could even help me. Maybe I should've stuck around Vigil and Waver a little longer. At least they would've sent me in the right direction._

But it was too late for that now. Fallen checked the hallway he had returned from, but Vigil and Waver were nowhere to be seen. Several corridors branched out in other directions. His friends could've turned into any of them.

Fallen's shoulders drooped and his back bent forward. He sighed, unsure of what to do. He began to wander through a new hallway to his immediate right. Pokémon would occasionally glance at him as he wandered through the Alliance base. Every time he noticed them, however, their gazes swiftly averted.

He pondered asking some of the less-intimidating pokémon for help, but dread conquered his thoughts. Who knew what strange things they would be able to do to Fallen? Possess him? Gouge his heart out with a single claw to the chest? Would they incinerate him, or worse?

Fallen froze in the middle of the hallway, terrified of the creatures that passed him by. He closed his amber eyes, praying that when he opened them, he would return to the human world he once hailed from, wherever that may have been.

The treecko forced himself out of his head when he realized the truth. He already fell asleep once before, and when he woke up, he was still in this world as a treecko.

He wanted to run away from it all. He wanted somewhere that he could be alone with his thoughts. He didn't want to see these terrible pokémon anymore.

Fallen charged into an empty room and hid by the open doorway. He clutched the stone wall and gasped for air. The anguish within him constricted his lungs as he pressed harder into the wall behind him. He yearned for this nightmare to end, for it to _be_ a nightmare.

"Is something the matter?"

Fallen winced at the feminine voice. He thought that he was alone in the room. He didn't even think to check before darting into it. Once again, he made an impulsive, irrational decision that he would land him into more trouble.

Near the back of the room was a large spruce desk. Behind the desk, however, stood a pokémon. Aside from her long neck, her body was completely hidden. From what Fallen could see, she wore cream scales with maroon eyes. Fallen, however, couldn't stop staring at the oddly-shaped leaf that protruded from her forehead.

Unable to conceal his fear, Fallen tried to speak up, "I-I..."

"Calm down, child," she spoke in a soothing, maternal voice. "You have nothing to fear. What has you so wound up?"

The pokémon slowly walked in front of the desk. She was a quadruped, with more strange leaves poking out from the base of her neck.

Fallen squeezed his fingers against the wall, shivering. The pokémon stopped approaching him and frowned.

"What is your name?"

"M-my name...?"

She nodded.

"F-f...Fallen."

"Fallen...what an odd name for a treecko," she remarked. "Well, Fallen, I'm Laurel."

She smiled at him softly, which put Fallen at ease a bit. Her tranquil disposition abated the hysteria that boiled within Fallen's mind.

"W-what kind of Pokémon are you?"

"You don't know?" she pouted again. "I'm a bayleef."

"I don't know anything, or rather, I _forgot_ everything. I have a really bad case of amnesia."

"Amnesia? Well, what exactly do you remember, Fallen?"

"Basic things. I remember learning to speak, walk, things like that. I don't even remember my real name. Fallen is just a name my...my _friend_ gave me."

He wasn't sure if "friend" was the right word to describe Vigil. Although, in just a short amount of time, he had already saved Fallen's life without asking for anything in return.

"Your friend? But you said that you didn't remember anything."

"No, you've got it all wrong. He found me after I got amnesia."

"Where is he now?"

Fallen hesitated for a moment, "He and another friend were going to put up a request, but...I got lost. And before I got here, I had a run-in with a scary pokémon, so I'm terrified to go look for them."

"Well, if you would like, I could help you look for them. I am one of the leaders of the Alliance, so I know the facility inside and out." Laurel offered.

"T-thank you," Fallen answered.

Fallen still felt very insecure about being around the bayleef. However, he learned his lesson. There was no way he was going to allow himself to be alone again, not if he would spiral into a panic like he did moments ago.

The two pokémon walked out of Laurel's office and into the current of pedestrians. Fallen's heart sped up as he inched closer and closer to the generous bayleef. He clenched his teeth anxiously, and his eyes darted around at the beings that crossed paths with him.

"You said your friends were putting up a request?" Laurel asked, hoping to allay Fallen's angst, "What exactly did you want from the Alliance?"

"My friend's family wanted to have you ship medical supplies to some village far away from here. Something about a village ravaged by some—what were they called? Arca..."

"Arcanine?"

"Yeah, those."

Laurel frowned, "Seems you've forgotten what some pokémon look like too. No wonder you're so scared of us. Lucky for you, I know just the pokémon that can help."

Fallen's eyes glimmered earnestly, "You do!? Really!?"

"One of the leaders, Auris, has one of the strongest minds in the entire Alliance. If anyone can unearth dormant memories, it's her. She left a while ago to run some errands, but she should be back soon."

At last, Fallen found someone who could revive his dead memories. He could finally get to the bottom of his sudden transformation. Questions frolicked through his head: what was life as a human like? Did he have a family? How did he become a pokémon?

"We're here," Laurel stopped in front of a large open doorway, gesturing Fallen to enter before her.

The treecko stepped into the circular room, followed by Laurel. There, a flock of pokémon huddled in front of several bulletin boards. Fallen counted four boards, each placed in a U-shape, with the ends pointing towards the entrance to the room.

"This place is especially crowded during the morning," Laurel explained. "That's usually when all of our teams begin preparations for their missions. Most of these pokémon are Alliance teams choosing which request to take."

Fallen squinted at the crowd when he saw two smaller pokémon cram through. One was draped in a brown fur, with a light circle on its stomach and ringed tail. The other was a pink, spherical Pokémon with a tuft of hair falling between its eyes. Fallen smiled when he realized who they were: Vigil and Waver.

Vigil ran towards Fallen, prompting Waver to dash behind him. The sentret grinned widely at his treecko friend, ecstatic to see him safe and sound.

"Fallen! Where did you go!?" Vigil asked. "We were just about to start looking for you!"

"I-uh, got distracted," he said. "And the next thing I knew, you guys were gone."

Waver kept his eyes trained on Fallen, "Then who is this bayleef?"

"My name is Laurel," she responded. "Fallen stumbled into my office in a frenzy. He was afraid to go search for you alone, so I escorted him over here."

Waver scoffed, "What were you afraid of? Another run-in with a psychic-type?"

"Well..." Fallen sighed. "Yes. I was."

The jigglypuff broke into laughter, "You're quite the card, Fallen! Anyways, let's get going. We still have a few errands to run."

"Actually, Waver..." Fallen scratched his head awkwardly. "Laurel says she knows someone who might be able to restore my memory. We just have to wait for one of the other leaders to come back."

"Other leaders?" Waver wondered. "Are you implying that Laurel is a leader here?"

Laurel's neck craned proudly, "It's true. I am one of the three leaders of the Pokémon Alliance."

"You're a leader!?" Vigil's eyes shined with elation. "Wow!"

"Well, if you two want, you can stay and wait for that leader to come back," Waver said. "I have to finish up everything else that needs to be done. I'll meet you guys in front of the Alliance base by sundown. Sound good?"

"Yeah! See you later, Waver!"

Waver walked around his friends and Laurel, waving goodbye as he disappeared behind the doorway. Relief allowed Fallen's wracking mind to simmer. No longer did he have such a prying pokémon in his midst.

"Shall we go back to my office?" Laurel asked. "Auris should be meeting me there anyways, so it would be the best place to wait for her."

Vigil tilted his head sideways, "Is Auris the pokémon that's going to restore Fallen's memories?"

Fallen nodded, "Yeah, she is. Alright then, let's wait there."


	6. 5: Shattered Dreams

Fallen and Vigil patiently sat in the chairs in front of Laurel's desk. Fallen watched as the sentret beside him kicked his feet back and forth like a child. His eyes wandered all around the office, despite the room being so small and plain.

"Say, Laurel. Where do those doors lead?" Vigil pointed to the doors that sat on opposite walls.

Fallen didn't even notice those when he was here the first time. He was overwhelmed by his panic that the nuances of the office around him were indistinct. In fact, the office looked completely different to him. A few torches were mounted against the corners, and those two wooden doors sat on both lateral walls. They were adorned with a golden pattern that Fallen recognized, forcing him to shift his focus away from the door. Those menacing eyes were ingrained in his memory.

"Those doors connect to the other offices," Laurel explained. "The one to your right is Auris' office, and the one to your left belongs to the the third leader, Azure. They're probably both locked. Auris always locks up before she leaves, and Azure never really leaves his office unless it's urgent."

"Wow. You have to be really strong to be a leader of the Alliance."

"I'm not that strong. But I'm probably one of the best healers here. It's why I am in charge of all medical personnel."

"Medical personnel?"

"We have an infirmary not too far from my office. We use it whenever team members get injured while on the job, or when a client requires immediate assistance."

Fallen decided to join the conversation, "It must take a lot of Pokémon to keep this place running."

Vigil turned to Fallen, shocked by his response, "I didn't know you were one for small talk. You barely spoke to Waver and me on our way to Amethyst City."

"It's not that I don't enjoy it. These past few days have just been a bit much for me to handle. I've just been quietly piecing everything together. That, and I've been constantly digging through my head for any lingering memories."

"Still nothing?"

Fallen shook his head.

"I'm sure after Auris is done with you, that won't be a problem anymore," Laurel smiled.

Fallen sighed, "I sure hope so."

"Laurel! I'm back!"

The two children turned to the pokémon behind them. Fallen slinked back into his seat when he saw who was standing in the doorway.

"Auris! Welcome back!"

 _That's Auris?_

Fallen replayed the events of this morning in his head. The white pokémon standing over him. The blue aura that surrounded him as she revealed the extra set of eyes beneath her ears. The horror that he felt as he was lifted off the ground.

The meowstic craned her neck, trying to peer over the chairs, "Who are those two?"

Vigil jumped to the ground and turned to Auris, "Hi! I'm Vigil, and this is Fallen."

Fallen slinked further into his chair, hoping to disappear from Auris' sight. There was no way he would let _her_ delve into his mind.

"Nice to meet you, Vigil. But why is your friend hiding behind the chair?"

Laurel pouted at Fallen, "She's not going to hurt you, Fallen. Auris is the most powerful psychic-type in the Pokémon Alliance."

 _That's exactly why I'm afraid of her._

"She's right! So why don't you come out from behind that chair?"

 _I guess I don't have a choice._ Fallen reluctantly plopped onto the floor and revealed himself to Auris. The meowstic studied him for a bit, then broke into laughter.

" _Oh!_ You're the treecko I bumped into earlier! That's why you're so scared of me!"

"You two have met?" the confused bayleef asked Auris.

"Yeah! He knocked into me in the city and I helped him back up. I take it he's never seen a psychic-type pokémon in his life, because I haven't seen anyone panic the way he did."

"Well, you see Auris, Fallen here suffers from severe amnesia."

"How severe are we talking?" Auris crossed her arms.

"He can't even remember his name."

"That bad, huh? Turn the chair around and take a seat. I'll see what I can do."

Fallen obeyed, turning the chair towards Auris and sitting down. A wave of unease crashed into him. He clenched the sides of the chair and shivered.

"Don't be so tense. I don't want to have to force myself in. That'll make this whole experience _very_ painful for you."

Fallen nodded and took deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself down, "Just what exactly are you going to do to me?"

"You're going to let me into your mind, so I can find whatever is blocking your memories and destroy it."

"And this is...painless?"

"As long as you don't resist. Ready?"

Fallen cringed, "Do it."

Auris took a step back and shut her eyes. She engulfed herself in the same beryl essence as earlier, lifting her ears and exposing her second pair of eyes. Fallen looked at his arms. He wasn't glowing like he did when Auris lifted him this morning. In fact, nothing seemed to be different about him at all.

Then it hit him. Something was crawling within his mind's eye. It was as if a serpent was crossing his synapses, slithering between brain cells. And yet, Auris was standing right in front of him. How could she be in two places at once?

"That's weird," Auris muttered to herself.

"What's wrong?" Laurel asked.

"Hold on, I think I found something."

Auris scrunched her eyes, pushing deeper into Fallen's mind. Fallen grabbed the sides of his head when he began feeling a tingling sensation.

"A _human?_ "

Fallen began to sweat profusely. His eyes widened, and he started trembling again. After a few moments, he relaxed again.

 _It was bound to come out now that I let her into my brain._

"So you knew you were a human?"

Fallen flinched, "How did you—?"

"I'm in your head. I can hear your thoughts as you think them."

"Yes, I knew," Fallen sank into his chair. "It's the only thing I actually did remember. I was a human, but I have no idea why I became a treecko."

"I see. Well, it looks like when you were a human, you were quite the pokémon fanatic. You studied us quite a bit. Ironic, considering you're so afraid of us now."

It felt like a key turning within Fallen's brain. In an instant, the fear he had for the Meowstic dissipated completely. He remembered what a psychic-type was capable of, as well as its weaknesses.

"A meowstic...a sentret, and a bayleef. But...why would I need to know any of this?"

"Not sure. The human world doesn't have any pokémon in it. Let me see if I can dig deeper—"

Fallen wailed hysterically. It felt like a dagger splitting the back of his head. His head throbbed, and he could feel the pressure gouging out his eyes. The excruciating pain forced Fallen to the floor as he clutched his head.

Vigil ran to the treecko's side, "I thought you said it would be painless!"

"Something's wrong," Auris responded. "I can't describe it, but...it's like there's a _wall_ in his head."

"You've handled something like this before, haven't you?" Laurel rushed over to Fallen.

"I'm trying, but if I push too hard, it might do permanent damage."

"Do it!"

All of the pokémon in the office turned frantically to Fallen. He stared directly at Auris' psychic eyes, gritting his teeth in agony.

"I don't have anything to lose! Those memories...they're all I have!"

"Are you kidding? When I finish, they're might not be anything left of you to salvage! It could leave you in a coma, or maybe even _dead._ Do you really want that, all for memories of a world that you might not even be able to go back to?"

"Please..."

Auris shook her head, "It's your funeral."

Fallen felt the dagger burrow deeper into his skull. He screamed even louder than before as Auris did her best to penetrate the mystical wall that concealed his memories. He closed his eyes and shut his ears, hoping to block out everything around him.

When he opened them again, he was no longer in the office. He stood amidst darkness, similar to the dream he had last night. A few feet in front of him stood Auris, her back facing him. All of the pain that once plagued him disappeared, replacing itself with a looming dread.

"Auris? Where am I?" he called to her.

"What are you doing here!? How did you even _get_ in here!?" she asked, not turning to him.

"I have no idea. I just closed my eyes, and now I'm here...wherever _here_ is."

"We're in your head. As you can see, it's rather empty. That's because this is where your memories are supposed to be. Come over here, and you'll see where they actually are."

Fallen approached the Meowstic cautiously. As he got closer, something bright came into view. At first, it reminded him of the blue flames that lit up the Alliance base. However, ghost-types controlled those wisps, so they were always tame. This was a wall of raging blue fire, an inferno that blocked Fallen from his memories.

"I've never seen a block this powerful. No pokémon I've seen has the mental strength that could create something like this. No wonder it's causing you so much pain."

"Could it be because I'm a human? Maybe you can't get into the minds of humans."

"No. If you have a brain, I can get in it. Human or not, the brain works the same way. Are you _sure_ you want me to keep pushing?"

Fallen stepped backwards. The blaze that smoldered in front of him made him uncertain. He closed his eyes, hoping to return to Laurel's office. Sadly, when he opened them again, the conflagration continued to spread throughout his subconscious.

"K...keep going."

Auris nodded, engulfing her body with her cobalt aura. Veins popped from the fur around her head, and her stubby arms stiffened. A narrow crevice split the blue fire, revealing nothing but darkness within.

"It's working!" Auris cheered as she continued to push through.

Fallen was mesmerized by the meowstic's strength. How could one pokémon be capable of so much? Even with the memories that she uncovered, Fallen still did not understand the mental capacity of a psychic-type.

As the fracture in the pyre grew, the ground beneath Fallen and Auris pulsated. At first, Fallen shrugged it off as one of Auris' many powers. However, as the crack became wide enough for them to squeeze through, it emitted a powerful shockwave, sending them flying away.

Flashbacks to the past day darted through Fallen's head. He screamed in terror as he soared through the darkness of his mind. He shut his eyes in horror as he plummeted to what he believed to be the ground.

 _Open your eyes. Open your eyes!_

Fallen's eyes swatted open abruptly as he sat up and slammed his hands on the floor. He skimmed his surroundings and realized he was back in Laurel's office, deep within the Alliance base. Vigil, Laurel, and even Auris were slumped against the walls, moaning in pain.

"What happened!?"

"I was about to ask _you_ the same question."

Fallen's head shifted towards the source of the voice. A bipedal pokémon stood in the doorway to the left, arms crossed, glaring at the treecko sternly. His fur was a mix of deep sapphire, charcoal, and a saffron chest, similar to Laurel's body. A single metallic spike bulged from the backs of his hands and his heart.

 _A lucario,_ Fallen recalled. _Well, Auris managed to get something out of me._

"Azure, relax," Auris began to stood up.

"What happened here, Auris?" his blood-colored irises veered towards Auris, "And what are these two children doing in the base unattended?"

"That treecko's no ordinary kid, Azure. He's from the human world."

The lucario's eyes widened, "The human world!?"

"He lost all of his memories prior to becoming a pokémon. So, Laurel asked if I could help him."

"Was that shockwave _your_ doing, then?"

"Not necessarily. In reality, I have no idea what caused that."

Azure pondered her words for a moment, "You have never dealt with a human mind before, have you?"

Auris shook her head in dissent, "It doesn't matter if he's human or not. He has a brain, meaning I should be able to probe it. But this...this was unlike anything I've ever seen before. Sorry, Fallen. Those memories are stuck there. I have no clue how long it'll take before you'll recover them naturally, _if_ you recover them naturally."

"It's alright," Fallen replied, unsure of the truth in his words. "You did the best you could."

"So you were once a human..."Azure trailed off. "What is your name?"

Fallen leaned on Laurel's desk, "I don't remember my real name. For now, I use the name Fallen."

"Fallen...and who is that sentret in the corner?"

Vigil gently stood up and approached the treecko, "My name is Vigil, sir. I met Fallen in the woods yesterday, and I've been with him ever since."

Azure narrowed his eyes, examining the children before him, "Which forest did you two meet?"

"On the mountain path towards Lookout Peak."

"Lookout Peak...and Fallen, do you happen to remember _how_ you ended up in this world?"

"I remember...waking up and plummeting towards the ground. That's it."

"Hm. This is certainly peculiar. A human turned pokémon, winding up here of all places..." Azure muttered to himself, until he turned to Vigil, "Has anything strange been happening at Lookout Peak lately?"

"Oh! Lookout Peak...no, nothing strange has happened."

Azure leaned against the doorway again, "You need to tell me the truth, Vigil. If you are hiding something, you will be denying your friend of his hopes of returning home. So I will ask you again. Has anything strange happened at Lookout Peak?"

Vigil looked away, "About that. Lookout Peak..."

The sentret's paws clenched, and his entire body trembled. Fallen put a hand over his shoulder, in hopes of comforting him. Tears slowly formed from his eyes, and Vigil fell to the floor, sniffling and bawling.

"Lookout Peak is _gone!_ I was taking a hike through the forest, and then th-there was an earthquake. I r-ran back to the village to make sure everyone was safe, but when I got back...everyone, _everything_ was gone! All that was left was a swirling void and a tyranitar. And he—he was _laughing._ My parents, my brother Vedette...everyone I know is dead!"

Vigil could no longer hold in his inner turmoil. He continued to sob on the floor with Fallen standing over him, horrified by the news. All this time, Fallen thought Vigil was just some kid who was kind enough to lend him a hand, just an adventurous young pokémon who was fascinated by the world he never got to see. Instead, Vigil was hurting far worse than Fallen did.

Whereas Fallen could not remember his family, Vigil had to watch as they disappeared for good.

"Alright. I will not ask you anything further," Azure sighed. "I apologize. I did not know whatever you were hiding was so sensitive."

"No, it's fine," Vigil sniffled. "Ask me whatever you want."

"I have a question, if you don't mind," Auris plopped down on one of Laurel's chairs. "You said you were on the mountain path, right? You had to have seen the tyranitar on your hike."

"There are multiple branching paths that all lead up to Lookout Peak. But yeah, I did meet him. He said he was going to visit someone from the village. He also said he did a lot of exploring, so he doesn't have a home. But there was one detail he mentioned that still doesn't make sense."

"What is it?" Azure pressed.

"He's never been to Avium. What kind of tyranitar isn't born in the wastelands? I mean, I've read that a majority of the species is born there."

"Maybe he thought you would assume he was from this Avi—whatever you call it," Fallen proposed.

Vigil shook his head, "He told me he traveled three of the four continents, listing off Herbon, Ignis, and the Imber Islands."

"Thank you for the information," Laurel spoke softly. "I would like the two of you to stay here for the night. I will arrange for a caretaker to take you into their home. You're both still children, so you will need someone to look after you while we sort out this mess. I can assure you, Vigil, we will bring this tyranitar to justice. And Fallen, we will figure out a way to get you back to the human world. As a leader of the Pokémon Alliance, I will make that promise to you."

"Okay. Thank you," Vigil replied, his heart begging for him to revolt the decision.

Fallen refused to see the depressed Vigil conform with the bayleef's words. If Vigil got tossed into some other pokémon's home, he would never be able to follow that dream he mentioned to Waver this morning. He wanted to travel the continents, but without free reign to do so, that dream would be snuffed out completely.

After all the sentret had done for him, all the pain he had to endure, Fallen knew what needed to be done.

"Wait," he demanded.

"Something wrong, Fallen?" Auris raised an eyebrow.

"Vigil and I...would like to join the Alliance."


	7. 6: Inferno

"You want to join the Alliance?" Auris blinked in confusion. "Kid, you have no idea what you're in for. You haven't been in that body for longer than what, a day? Your sentret friend might be able to hold his own, but you?"

"Well, I'll just have to get used to it then. After all, it'll take a long time before I can return home, wherever home _is_."

"You're just saying that so we don't send you off to live with a caretaker. Just because you were a human at some point doesn't dismiss the fact that you're still a child."

"Wait a second, Auris," Laurel intervened. "We can't just wave them off because they're children. There are quite a few teams here led by younger pokémon."

"You don't understand, Laurel. I bet you don't even know how to fight, do you Fallen?"

Fallen pursed his lips, unable to retort.

"They're going to get themselves killed if they join the Alliance."

"If you truly believe that, then how about we have a vote," Laurel suggested. "After all, all three leaders are present at the moment."

Auris crossed her arms, "What's the point? You and I obviously don't agree, so just leave the decision up to Azure." The meowstic turned to Azure, who was studying all of them from the doorway. "Well, Azure? What's it going to be?"

After a moment of thought, the lucario gave his answer, "Let them join. But first, I would like to hear what Vigil has to say about this. Fallen appears to be vouching on his behalf, but I refuse to let them become a team unless I get confirmation from both of them."

Auris shrugged indifferently, "You heard him, Vigil. What's it going to be?"

Vigil stood there, completely frozen and unresponsive. He had no words for the situation. His limbs fell still and his breathing was soft and subtle. The sentret's mouth hung open in surprise, but his eyes lacked the sparkle it had when he got excited. They were blank, hiding the stew of emotions writhing inside.

"I-I'm not sure. This is all so sudden. Just...give me a moment to talk about it with Fallen."

"Go right ahead. We will wait for you in my office. Auris? Laurel?" Azure gestured them inside.

As soon as the door shut behind the Alliance leaders, Fallen and Vigil took seats opposite each other. Fallen glared at his sentret friend, perplexed by his hesitance to join the Alliance. Vigil remained trapped by his thoughts, the memories of his home being wiped off the map, and the treecko sitting in front of him.

"Why did you ask to join the Alliance, Fallen?"

Fallen mulled over his words, "I thought that maybe...becoming a team would be much better for you than being left with a caretaker. Earlier, you were talking to Waver about your dream of traveling the continents. Wouldn't you want to—?"

"Maybe I should rephrase my question. How about...why are you helping me? A few hours ago you decided to split up from us and try and get your memory back on your own."

"What!? I told you, I got lost!"

"We were walking down a straight hallway! You'd have to be a complete idiot to get lost like that!"

Fallen lowered his head, unable to look the sentret in the eyes. Vigil didn't want to believe the words coming out of his mouth. He prayed that somehow, Fallen _did_ lose his way while going to the request board. The evidence revealing otherwise, however, was too incriminating to ignore.

"Fallen, you've made it really hard to trust you over the past day. At first, I thought you were insane the moment you said you were a human. Then, Waver tells me that you lied to him about how you broke your leg. And even now you're lying to me."

"Hey! You heard Auris. She knows that's the only thing I remember."

"I believe that you used to be a human, but does that excuse the last two times?"

"Well..." the treecko fidgeted with his fingers.

"So tell me the truth, Fallen. _Why did you ask to join the Alliance?_ "

"Vigil..." Fallen forced himself to lock eyes with his Sentret friend. "You have done so much for me in this past day alone. You saved my life multiple times, and look at how I've repaid you."

"So you're doing this out of pity? That's not something I want, Fallen."

"It's not out of pity. It's out of gratitude. You want to travel the continents, right? This is your ticket."

"There's still something you're not telling me."

Fallen exhaled deeply, "I don't want to be alone in this world, Vigil. You're the only friend I've got right now. I realized it when I snuck off. I'm terrified of everything. So please... "

"Okay, I'll join."

"What!? You will!?"

Vigil smiled for a split second, then sent daggers at Fallen, "On one condition—no more lying. If we're going to be a team, we need to be able to trust each other. I need to know what's going on with you all the time, so that we're always on the same page. Promise?"

"I promise, Vigil."

The two Pokémon hopped out of their chairs and knocked on the door to Azure's office. Auris opened the door and waved a paw to come inside.

Compared to Laurel's office, Azure's workspace didn't even seem like one. The walls were painted a prominent blue with a dark gold boundary where it met the floor. There was no desk in the middle of the room, but instead, the floor was elevated by a step, leading to the back of the room. There, a simple cerulean cushion sat in the center, with dandelion frills hanging from the edges.

Azure and Laurel stood on opposite sides of the room, engaged in their conversation. As soon as the two children entered the room, however, their focus shifted to them.

The lucario crossed his arms and glared at Vigil and Fallen, "So? Have you made up your mind, Vigil?"

The sentret smiled happily, "I want to join the Alliance with Fallen."

"A wise choice," Azure returned a smirk. "The best kind of strength comes from fighting alongside your friends. Cherish every moment you have together, because I am sure it will make you some of our most promising recruits."

Laurel began walking back into her office, "Now, if you two will follow me, I have all the paperwork that needs to be filled out to register your team with the Alliance."

"Laurel, when you are finished, send them back in here. I will give them a tour of the facilities myself. Auris, make sure they have a room prepared by tomorrow. They may sleep in my room until they have one of their own."

Auris and Laurel nodded in tandem, and Auris exited Azure's room by his front door. Laurel led the two recruits back into her room. She offered Fallen and Vigil a seat before launching a pair of plant-like appendages from her neck.

"Give me a second," she rummaged through her desk with the vines, until she held a packet of paper in one and a pen in the other. "Okay. Here we are. The registration form. Now, you're the only two registering, right? That jigglypuff won't be joining you?"

"Hm. Would Waver want to join, Fallen?" Vigil scratched his head.

"I'm not sure. We can't just add him to the team against his will."

"Well, I'll only put your names on the team roster for now. If your friend does decide to join, come back here and speak to me. Now, which of you will be the team leader?"

"Fallen will," Vigil answered immediately, startling the treecko.

Fallen protested, "Are you sure? You know more about this world than I do, and you know how to fight. You're definitely more qualified to lead the team."

"I'd rather you do it. Besides, joining the Alliance was your idea, after all."

"Fallen it is," Laurel took a moment to write on the paper, using her vine as a hand. "Now, what will your team name be?"

"Team name?" Fallen wondered. "What do you think, Vigil? You're better at this than I am. You _did_ give me my name."

"I suggest that whatever you pick represents the two of you in some way. Maybe something regarding your reasons for joining the Alliance. Take your time. I don't want you to pick something you'll regret later."

Vigil strained his mind in search of the perfect name. _Something that hints at our reasons to join the Alliance?_ He thought back to the last twenty-four hours, from the moment he met Fallen. _Team Sky? I mean, Fallen did come from the sky. No, no. That's a terrible name._

He decided to think back even farther, to the moment he returned to Lookout Peak. He remembered the tyranitar's sinister face, how he lifted the sentret into the air, and worst of all, those knives that pierced his heart as he spoke.

Then, he remembered the challenge that was issued to him:

 _I await the day we meet again. I want to see that beautiful flame snuffed out after you have travelled. Now go. Become stronger, and face me again, so I may extinguish whatever is left of your puny candlelight._

Vigil willed himself to continue, to make that fire in his heart burn brighter than any other. He would get stronger to bring that tyranitar the punishment he deserved. Revenge ignited the inferno in his soul, the passion to fight for tomorrow.

"Team... _Inferno,_ " he declared proudly.

Laurel smiled, "That's a wonderful name. Fallen, do you agree?"

Although Fallen was oblivious to Vigil's encounter on Lookout Peak, the name struck him as something powerful. Surely the name meant a lot to the young sentret, and frankly, he was unsure if he could think of a name any more fitting.

"I like it. Team Inferno it is."

"Alright then. Team Inferno, you are officially members of the Pokémon Alliance. Before I leave you with Azure, however, I need to explain the Alliance policies. As a team affiliated with the Alliance, you must complete one mission from the request boards each day. The only exception to this is if your selected mission requires several days to travel to and complete. Those jobs usually involve travelling to the Imber Islands, Avium, and Ignis, but they may include the farthest reaches of Herbon as well."

"Failure to fulfill your job quota will result in dismissal from the Pokémon Alliance. You shouldn't worry too much about that. If you fail a few jobs here and there, you won't be penalized harshly. We understand that not all jobs go according to plan, so we are very lenient in that regard. However, persistent inability to complete requested missions will be a problem. Am I clear?"

Fallen and Vigil nodded.

"While you are working for the Alliance, you will be required to live within the confines of our base. This is so that we can quickly assemble all of the teams whenever necessary. Should an emergency occur, we want every team to be notified. That's another rule we are very strict about here. If you are in the base, or out in Amethyst City, do _not_ miss a meeting.

"Now, I believe I've gone over everything I needed to. Azure will explain more about the facility while you're on tour. I'll see the two of you, later. Take care!"

"Thanks, Laurel!" Vigil waved as he scurried back into Azure's office. "Come on, Fallen!"

"I'm coming!" Fallen began to follow.

"Actually, do you have a moment?" Laurel asked, stopping Fallen before he reached the doorway.

"Should I go get Vigil?"

"No, I'd like to speak with you privately," she frowned.

"Is something wrong?"

"It's nothing really. I just wanted to ask how you truly felt about all of this."

"All of what? I think Team Inferno is a great idea."

"Not the Alliance. I mean this _world._ This must be so... _different_ for you."

Fallen crossed his arms, "I don't understand what you're asking me. I mean...everything is still so strange. I can't shake the need to find my memories and figure out how I even got here."

"Well, you should know that we'll be doing everything in our power to get a handle on the situation. For now, worry about your duties until the Alliance can catch a lead."

"Thank you, Laurel."

"Fallen! Are you coming?" Vigil called from the other office.

"Yeah! I'll be right there!"

Fallen filed into Azure's office, where the lucario sat comfortably on the solitary cushion towards the back wall.

Azure mulled over our team name, "Team Inferno...a perfect name for you children. Even though you may be small, you have an indomitable will that will allow you to persevere. Your fire, as you put it. I must say, you two will be fine additions to the Alliance. Now, I need the both of you to stick out your hands."

Fallen flashed a confused glance at Vigil, who shrugged and extended his paw. Reluctantly, Fallen mimicked his friend, taking notice of his verdant, thick fingers for the first time. They were a reminder that he was merely an interloper in this vast world of Pokémon.

Azure stretched his paws to Team Inferno, and as his eyes shut, a smoldering blue aura rushed through his body. Fallen flinched as he recalled the cobalt flame within his mind, the one preventing him from reaching his memories. He slid his hand back into his torso, shuddering at the sight.

"This will not hurt you, Fallen. Put your hand back out."

The treecko wondered how Azure knew he recoiled his hand. His eyes were shut tight, but somehow, he could still judge their movements. Fallen pushed himself to put his open palm out again, breathing heavily to tune out the eerie memories.

Vigil studied Azure with fascination. He had heard a lucario's aura was among the most powerful of any Pokémon, but he never witnessed such a feat before. He watched as the blue light danced across his fur until his palm began to glisten the same sapphire hue.

The two children watched—one in horror, one with enchantment—as the aura etched a symbol into their palms. Azure painted a insignia into their skin: a pair of wings spread wide. Fallen felt his heart skip a beat when he saw how familiar they were.

Branded to his palm were the terrifying wings of Ho-oh.

"It is said that anyone who sees Ho-oh will be granted eternal happiness," Azure explained. "That is the mission of the Pokémon Alliance: to bring peace and tranquility to this ravaged world, to bring justice wherever it is needed, and to bring eternal happiness to the world. That is why Ho-oh's wings are our emblem."

The blue aura surrounding the lucario dissipated, revealing his garnet eyes. He spoke again, "The marks you have been entrusted with are more than they appear to be. They connect you to me, so that I may assist in times of need."

"What? How does that make any sense?"

"You will see, Vigil. You will see. And Fallen, you have no reason to be afraid. It is merely there to help you on your missions. Now, if you'll follow me, I will give you the grand tour of the Pokémon Alliance. Stay close to me, and try not to wander off. This base is rather large, so trying to find you will prove difficult."

The duo nodded and followed the Alliance leader out of his office.


	8. 7: In Due Time

Fallen and Vigil ambled curiously behind Azure. Vigil's eyes wandered throughout the Base, admiring the Pokémon that passed by. Fallen could not keep his eyes off the mysterious symbol that was now engraved on his hand. He only occasionally glanced up to make sure he was still following the Alliance leader. The moments he did, however, he was filled with dread as an array of Pokémon were caught in his periphery.

Even after Auris retrieved his memories of pokémon, Fallen still walked the halls warily. In fact, he was even more terrified now that he knew what some of them were capable of. He wanted to hug the wall in horror as an electivire's tail inched dangerously close to his face, and a chill shot up his spine as a banette sent him a wicked smile. Fallen couldn't wrap his head around a world where humans and pokémon once lived in harmony.

The trio reached the end of the corridor that led to the foyer of the base. There, Azure paused and turned to Team Inferno. He patiently waited for them to arrive before beginning his explanation.

"All of the hallways in the base connect to these four passageways, which in turn lead to this spot. You should not have that much difficulty traversing the base. The layout is rather simple, as these four hallways can take you anywhere in the base you please. I will be showing you all of the corridors, aside from the one we just came from, because all that is there are our offices. Follow me, if you will."

Azure led Team Inferno down the hallway farthest from the staircase. They strolled down the uniform path until introduced by a wide opening at the end. A clamor of chatting pokémon reverberated louder and louder as they approached the room. When they reached their destination, Fallen and Vigil were welcomed by the delectable aromas of berries and fruit, as well as the enticing scents of fresh meat.

"This is the mess hall. Whenever you are not on a job, feel free to come here and enjoy a meal. I would recommend stopping by before leaving on your daily job so that you can preserve as much food as possible for your journey."

Fallen's stomach roared from within him. He was hungry, but didn't want to say anything about it.

"Fallen? Are you hungry?" Vigil chuckled, but was silenced by the rumbling coming from his own stomach. "We haven't eaten since breakfast at Waver's, huh?"

"If you would like, we may eat first, then resume the tour when you are satisfied."

"Well Fallen? Do you want to?"

Fallen hesitated for a moment. Sure, he was hungry, but the mess hall was brimming with all kinds of pokémon. Tables were lined with eating pokémon, socializing and attacking their meals.

 _It can't be that bad, right? No one will hurt around here,_ the treecko did his best to put his mind at ease.

"Yeah...I could use a quick meal," the words escaped his tongue. He closed his mouth abruptly because of how shocked he was.

"Well, let me take you to the line," Azure offered. "I will admit, though, there is a reason I brought you two here first."

"What's the reason?" Vigil wondered.

"I had not eaten all day. In fact, your little incident in Laurel's office interrupted my lunch time."

"Oh, hehe," Vigil chuckled awkwardly. "Sorry about that."

"Do not worry. What matters now is that we can all eat."

Azure took them into line, allowing Vigil and Fallen to go ahead of him. Fallen squeezed in between the two pokémon, creating a barrier for himself from any strangers. Vigil turned around and saw the nervous glances his friend took and decided to calm him down.

Vigil rested a paw on his shoulder, "Fallen, it's really not that bad. Trust me, these pokémon won't hurt you. They're not wild, and now that we're members of the Alliance, they'll probably be a lot friendlier."

"Are you sure? They don't seem very friendly."

Fallen's eyes were trained on magmar who was stuffing himself with berries. The fire-type picked his head up and made eye contact with Fallen, who quickly twisted his neck back to Vigil.

"You are still rather new to this world, are you not? You will grow more comfortable over time. Trust me, many of our pokémon are very esteemed citizens. They will treat you with kindness."

Fallen anxiously scanned the room. None of the pokémon seemed very kind to him.

The group approached the front of the line and were welcomed by dozens of munchlax behind the counter. They scurried through their kitchen, transporting ingredients and silverware around. Fallen found it odd that of all pokémon, a team of munchlax was preparing their meals. They were well known in his world for being gluttons. How could they be surrounded by that much food and resist the urge to eat it all?

One of the munchlax hovered over the counter, trained on Azure, "Hey! Azure! How've you been?"

"I am doing quite well. Thank you, Vorax."

"Who are these two? New recruits?"

"Indeed they are. Team Inferno, this is Vorax, the head chef."

"Team Inferno?" Vorax pondered the name for a moment, "That's some name! Come up with that yourselves?"

Vigil grinned with pride, "Yeah, we did!"

"Wow! Well, we cook up only the finest for our new trainees! Hope you enjoy!"

"Thank you so much!"

Vorax turned towards the timid treecko, sending him a confused frown, "Is something the matter?"

Fallen reluctantly made eye contact with the munchlax, "N-no."

"Fallen can be a little... _shy,_ " Vigil stepped in. "Don't take it personally. He's like this around everyone he meets."

"Oh! Sorry about that, little guy!" Vorax turned towards the kitchen, "Hey! Looks like your food's ready!"

Another munchlax carefully handed Vorax three plates of berries, which he placed on the counter in front of Team Inferno and Azure. "Bon appetit!"

"Thank you, Vorax," Azure nodded. "It looks wonderful as always."

"Enjoy!"

Azure scoped out a table very close to the food line. He made sure to pick one that was relatively empty to help placate Fallen's nerves.

Vigil squinted at the berries before him in fascination, "I've never seen berries like these before. Are they good?"

"We typically do not serve Oran and Pecha Berries as much, solely because we would rather save those for missions. The berries we supply the kitchen do not contain any healing properties or special effects. They are merely used as food or seasoning for meat."

" _Meat?"_ Fallen wondered.

"Not all of us are herbivores, Fallen. Take me for example. Lucario are primarily omnivorous."

"So, you _eat_ other pokémon?"

"How else are we to survive?"

Fallen suddenly felt his appetite wriggle out of him, and the terror he had for these pokémon intensified due to this revelation. He imagined the spinarak from yesterday gnawing into his flesh. He quickly dismissed the thought when it proved too gruesome.

Vigil consoled his friend, "Fallen, you should really eat, otherwise your stomach won't stop growling for the rest of the day."

He was right. Fallen picked up a strange purple fruit and lifted it to his mouth. Upon biting down, he was welcomed by a sour, acidic flavor. The treecko puckered his lips and quickly dropped the berry back into his bowl, holding his mouth shut to swallow the remnants of juice in his maw.

"Fallen!? Are you alright!?"

Quickly downing the berry, he reassured his friend, "I'm fine. Geez that was sour!"

"You ate a Bluk Berry," Azure described. "That is one of the most sour berries you can find. I am surprised you downed it so quickly. Not many can handle such a strong taste."

Fallen coughed, "Why do they serve those?"

"Some pokémon like sour foods," Vigil laughed. "You, on the other hand, do not."

Fallen spent the next few minutes testing all of the berries on his plate. He fawned over some of the sweet and spicy foods, while he spat out the bitter and acidic ones. When they were all finished with their meals, they gathered their bowls and took them back to a line on the other side of the mess hall, where another team of munchlax collected and washed them.

Azure began to speak as they exited the mess hall, "As members of the Alliance, all food served in the mess hall is complementary. You may eat until your heart's content, or rather, your stomach."

"All of the food is _free?_ " Vigil's eyes lit up.

"Indeed. Now, follow me. We are going to the request boards. There, I will explain the process by which you accept missions."

* * *

Vigil recognized the room immediately. Four bulletin boards were arranged in a U-shape, exactly as it did this morning. However, the room was empty, aside from a few groups of pokémon and a solitary pokémon that levitated over a podium between the middle boards. This one was transparent with a purple flame encased behind its bright yellow eyes. Fallen thought it looked like something he could've seen in the human world.

"The Alliance is devoted to helping all pokémon in need, and to do so, we have set four bulletin boards by which pokémon may ask for our help. Citizens come by as they please to give the registrar, Lupe, requests. There, she reviews the mission, and then tells the needy pokémon which board it should be placed on."

Vigil felt that something was off about their request system, "Is it safe to have a fire-type like that Lampent in charge of _all_ these papers?"

"You are not the first trainee to ask that. If Lupe was a litwick or a chandelure, it would be a different situation. However, lampent have the ability to secure their wisps within their being, so having her in charge will not risk anything until she evolves. And, aside from Laurel, she is the most diligent member when it comes to paperwork."

"Azure? You're not talking about me over there, are you?" the lampent squinted at the Lucario.

Azure chuckled, "No, Lupe. I am simply showing these trainees how to go about doing jobs for the Alliance."

"New recruits? Oh my!" Lupe disappeared behind the boards.

Fallen was alarmed by her abrupt exit, "Azure? W-where did she go?"

"Right here!"

Fallen fell backwards and nearly cracked his skull on the rough stone floor. His heart raced and his pupils dilated as he saw the lampent levitating over him.

"Oh! I haven't gotten that good of a reaction in years!"

Vigil kneeled to Fallen's side and tried to allay his worry, "Fallen? There's nothing to worry about. Ghost-types love to scare other pokémon."

"My apologies, Fallen," Azure frowned. "Lupe has a penchant for frightening the new recruits."

"Is he going to be okay?"

"I think so," Vigil reassured Lupe.

Fallen's breathing slowed down, and his heartbeat returned to normal. However, he refused to stand up while the lampent was so close to him.

"Fallen has had some...rough encounters with pokémon these past few days," the Lucario explained to Lupe. "He has been rather on-edge since he arrived."

"Oh my goodness! I am so sorry! If I had known, I wouldn't have done it!"

"I think it would be best if you kept your distance for a little bit. Eventually, he will come around again."

Fallen slowly overcame the shock, "H-how did she even…?"

"She's a ghost-type, Fallen. She phased through the bulletin board and got behind you."

"Hm, clever Sentret," Lupe snickered. "You used Foresight just before I vanished, didn't you?"

Vigil nodded, "I've had a few run-ins with gastly and haunter back home. It's almost instinctual that I use it on any ghost-type I meet, regardless of if they're wild or not."

"It's a good habit for when you're out on missions. You never know when something will try and sneak up on you."

Fallen picked himself up from the floor, still panting, "Please don't ever scare me like that again."

"I can assure you—Fallen, was it?—that it will never happen again."

Azure cleared his throat, "Now that this little situation has been taken care of, Lupe, would you explain to these children how the request boards operate?"

"It would be my pleasure. So, as you can see, there are four boards from which requests can be taken from. There are categorized by the type of mission, as well as whether or not they are requested for a specific team. The one to the direct left of my podium are standard missions, such as rescues, escorts, and item retrievals. To my direct right are outlaw missions."

"The Alliance has a partnership with the police force, you see," Azure added. "When their wanted lists reach critical points, they call on us to help arrest criminals."

"Wow! So we're like vigilantes then!" Vigil shouted excitedly.

"Well, I guess you could say that," Lupe answered. "Now, the two boards on the far ends are special requests. However, they also double as trainee missions. The one to the far left is for standard missions, while the one on the far right is for outlaw missions. We place our lowest-risk jobs on these boards, as well as the jobs that require a specific team to accomplish."

"When will we know that we have a special request?" Vigil asked.

"I'm very good at remembering what missions went where, so if you have a special request, I'll let you know. However, I would suggest checking the boards often, especially since those boards will also have trainee missions posted." Lupe turned to Azure, "Are you planning on taking them on a mission tomorrow?"

Azure nodded, "Fallen, Vigil, I would like the two of you to select a mission from the standard trainee board. Make sure it is nearby, and that it can be accomplished within the day."

"Right. Let's go, Fallen!"

"O-okay."

Team Inferno walked toward the board on the far left, as instructed by Azure and Lupe. Dozens of papers were plastered on the bulletin, all with the strange footprint runes that Fallen could not understand.

"Uh, you read these footprint-thingies, right?" Fallen asked.

"Yeah, but you know, eventually you'll have to learn to read it yourself. It's really hard to travel the continents and not be able to read."

Fallen sighed, "I guess you're right."

"Hey! Look at this one, Fallen!"

Vigil pointed at one of the requests tacked to the bottom of the board. He squinted at it and examined the writing, then turned back to Fallen with a huge smile on his face.

"Fallen, this is Waver's request!"

"It is?"

"Yeah! Listen: _In need of escort to help transport medical supplies to Phoenix Village. Trip should last at least three days. To get there quickly, you will need to navigate several mystery dungeons with me as company. The medical supplies cannot be used under any circumstance._ "

Fallen inspected the request until his eyes veered towards a giant character burned into the paper. It was familiar, and he could've sworn it looked like a C with an eye at the center.

"What is this character? Is that a C?"

Vigil's eyes widened, "You can read Unown-script?"

"Unknown-who?"

"Unown-script! Oh, right! I remember reading something about humans adopting their written language from the unown. Of course you know how to read it!"

"You're losing me, Vigil."

"Well, yes, it's a C. Beside it, it says: _Class._ What could that mean?"

"Oh! I forgot to mention that!" Lupe floated over to us, Azure in tow. "Whenever a pokémon comes by with a request, it is my job to issue it a difficulty class. This is used to alert Alliance members to how difficult the mission should be."

"May I see the mission you selected?" Azure requested.

"Yeah, here," Fallen handed the sheet over to the Lucario.

"Hm. This mission may prove difficult for your first time. And also, this mission takes three days at minimum. I suggest you select a new one."

"Okay," Vigil pouted and returned to the board with Fallen.

"Now what?" Fallen asked his dejected friend.

"We find something else. Here, this one looks promising," Vigil snatched a new request off of the board and read it aloud, " _My precious Togepi child wandered off into Astral Cave! Please, rescue my baby!_ It's a D-class mission, and it shouldn't take too long. How hard could it be to navigate a cave?"

"I mean, it's probably dark in there," Fallen argued.

"You underestimate a sentret's eyesight, Fallen," Vigil smirked. "I can see even in the darkest of caverns! So, whaddaya say?"

Fallen, without being able to read any other request, agreed, "If you can navigate us through there, then I guess it'll be okay."

"Perfect! Let's get this to Azure!"

Vigil scurried back to Azure and gave him the new request. The lucario read through it and sent a nod of approval to Team Inferno. "This one should suffice. An excellent choice. Astral Cave is quite the mystery dungeon to explore."

"A mystery dungeon? What's that?" Vigil wondered.

"You do not know what a mystery dungeon is?"

Vigil and Fallen shook their heads.

"Well, I know Fallen would not _remember_ , given his amnesia. However, you did not hear about mystery dungeons during your time at Lookout Peak, Vigil?"

"No. Not many outsiders visit the village, and the only time anyone really leaves is during the harvest."

"This is a predicament, then. Perhaps it would be easier if I explained it as we go tomorrow. They are rather complex. Are you two certain this is the request you want?"

"Are we, Fallen? You're the leader."

Fallen hated being called the leader. Vigil was more than capable of taking the position himself. He could read, he could fight, and he wasn't afraid of those around him. But Fallen was shy, timid, and quiet. He had all the potential to be a terrible leader.

 _What is a mystery dungeon?_ He thought to himself. _It said on the request that it was a cave. Is this really a good idea? Then again, do I have a better one?_

"Yeah, that's the mission," Fallen declared.

"Alrighty then!" Lupe swiped the request from Azure's paw and flew behind her podium. There, she called forth lavender wisps from her arms and struck the paper with them. When she was finished, she handed the mission back to Fallen, who tossed it away when he realized it was burning.

"Why would you give it to me!? It's on fire!"

"Just give it a sec. Trust me," Lupe replied.

The embers that shrouded the paper slowly dissipated, leaving a charred mark on the front. Footprint runes were now etched into the paper.

"It says _Taken,"_ Vigil read out for his friend.

"All set! Hope you all do well tomorrow!" Lupe cheered.

"Come, Team Inferno," Azure called. "We are going to make preparations for tomorrow's mission."


	9. 8: Follow the Leader

"Ah, fresh air!" Vigil stretched out in front of the base's entrance. "It was _so_ stuffy in there with all those Pokémon!"

"Yes, it is quite refreshing to leave the base," Azure agreed. "I will admit, it can be a bit cramped in there, especially during rush hour."

"Rush hour?" Fallen asked as he became fixated on Amethyst City's opulence.

Azure chuckled, "Rush hour is what we call the time when the vast majority of teams are scrambling through the halls of the base in preparation for their missions. When I used to go on missions, we always preferred accepting the mission and buying supplies the night before. That way, when we awoke, we could eat and leave before dealing with the morning's traffic."

Vigil turned to Azure in surprise, "Hold on! _You_ used to do jobs for the Alliance? I thought you founded the place?"

"My team, as it stands now, did not create the Alliance. However, we were very good friends with the pokémon who did. We were the first team registered in the Alliance upon its establishment."

"Were Laurel and Auris your teammates?" Fallen assumed.

"Yes, they were. We carried out missions to the best of our abilities. My age, however, has gotten the best of me, and thus, our team graciously accepted our role as leaders of the Alliance."

"You don't seem very old. And you walk just fine," Vigil noted.

"I am much older than I look, and much older than the typical lifespan of a Lucario. Still, I see many years in my future."

Vigil hopped around merrily, "Cool! So if you had a team, what was your name?"

"We called ourselves Team Unity," Azure stared off into the cityscape, disappearing to his memories. When he returned, he beckoned Team Inferno down the path, "Come, let us make all of the necessary preparations for tomorrow's mission. There are still parts of the base I would like to show you before dusk."

Vigil and Fallen nodded, following Azure into the teeming streets of Amethyst City.

"Before we even think about buying supplies, there is somewhere I must take you first."

Azure led the children around a series of street corners, until they approached a large tent off to the eastern outskirts of town. On the front of the tent was a sinister face with giant gemstone eyes and vicious fangs, all plastered on a ghastly indigo.

"This is the bank all members of the Alliance use. We will need to open an account for you two so that the Alliance has somewhere to transfer all of your earnings."

"They keep all of the money in a tent?" Fallen asked. "Isn't that a bit...unsafe?"

"Oh, you will see how it operates when we go inside. Shall we?"

Fallen shrugged and entered the tent with his companions. The entire tent was pitch-black, and from what the treecko _could_ see, it was empty. Vigil, who had a knack for seeing through darkness, scanned the room and came to the same conclusion.

"Uh, Azure? Are you sure this is the right—?"

"Hello there!"

Fallen darted behind Azure, cowering behind his leg. Vigil lurched backwards, but continued to stand his ground, albeit slightly alarmed. Before them stood a purple, transparent pokémon, almost invisible in the obscuring darkness. His diamond eyes gleamed menacingly, and he bore a smile that made Fallen shudder.

"Azure! It's been quite some time! When's the last time you came out from that office of yours?"

"It has been too long, Avarice. I was long overdue for a good walk."

"I see you've brought children here. New members of the Alliance, I presume?"

"You are correct. Fallen, Vigil, this is Avarice, owner of this bank."

Vigil quickly buried his shock and extended his paw to Avarice, "Nice to meet you."

Avarice smiled brutishly, "The same to you." He turned to Azure's leg, noticing the quivering treecko behind it, "I take it he has a fear of ghost-types?"

"Fallen is just a very timid pokémon. You could've been a skitty and he would still act like this."

"Cowardice will not get you very far with the Alliance, young treecko. In fact, it may even get you _killed_ ," Avarice grinned.

Fallen pressed his eyes shut as Avarice drew near.

"Fallen, I can assure you that Avarice is one of the nicest pokémon you will meet. He is honest, and frankly, I could not trust anyone else to safely guard my money. He may be a bit... _morose_ at times, but he never truly means what he says."

"He's right, young treecko. You have nothing to fear. The only times I use these claws are for the dirty robbers who try and get away with my clients' money."

Fallen grudgingly circled around to Azure's side and opened his eyes. _A sableye,_ he remembered once he caught a glimpse of his face.

"See? If I wanted to kill you, I would've done it already. Now Azure, I assume you want to set up an account for these two?"

"You guessed correctly."

"I will need their team name, then. Preferably, I would need their leader to tell me, so I know who the primary owner of the account is. Vigil, was it? As leader, you will—"

"Actually, Fallen's the team leader," The Sentret corrected him.

"Oh. My apologies. _Fallen_ will be the primary account owner then. Nonetheless, I would need your team name."

Fallen bit his tongue at the sableye's assumption. Of course he would expect Vigil to be the leader. After all, Fallen could barely make eye contact with Avarice, let alone carry his weight on missions. Doubt began to flood the poor treecko's mind, clouding his thoughts with anxiety. But now, he could prove Avarice wrong. He just had to tell him their team name.

Bursting with bravado, Fallen spoke, "Our name is Team Inferno."

Avarice's diamond eyes lit up for a moment, surprised by the treecko's new demeanor, "Team Inferno...I see you living up to that name. Alright, and how much will be in your starting fund?"

"Starting fund?" Fallen twiddled his fingers, "We don't have any money."

"You may take five thousand Poké out of my account to start them off," Azure insisted.

"Five _thousand_ Poké!?" Vigil's jaw dropped.

"Typically, new teams will start off with half of that, then add the funds they already had. However, you two just said that there is not a single Poké to your names. Consider it a donation from the Alliance," Azure smiled generously.

"Wow! Thank you, Azure!" Vigil bowed to him.

Judging by Vigil's reaction, it was safe to assume that Azure had given them much more than what they prepared to receive. Fallen thought about asking them, but they would be shopping for supplies soon. He would see for himself just how much five thousand Poké was worth.

Avarice nodded, "Alright. Would you like to withdraw any of that now?"

"I would consider taking out a thousand for now. However, the decision is up to you two."

Vigil turned to Fallen for advice, "What do you think, Fallen?"

Fallen had no idea how much Poké was worth, or how expensive supplies would be for the journey tomorrow. His only real thought was to just listen to Azure for now until they became more accustomed to Amethyst City's economy.

"A thousand sounds good," Fallen requested.

Avarice nodded, "Very well then. If you would be so kind as to give me a few minutes. I will transfer the money into a new alcove, and then return with the amount you desire."

The sableye took a few steps back and turned towards the emptiness that was his bank. It was difficult to see, but Fallen could make out the varying jewels that stuck out of Avarice's back. The glimmer seeped into the ground, until the room was once again dim.

"Avarice is the most reliable banker in all of Herbon," Azure explained. "No one has ever robbed him and lived to tell the tale. Your money is safer with him than it is with you."

Fallen's eyes widened, "He really _kills_ robbers? What happened to that police force you mentioned?"

"He has been granted a warrant to do with bandits as he sees fit. Although, Sheriff Ruby could have been a bit more diligent when issuing it."

"Allowing me to handle things was the best decision Ruby ever made!"

Avarice emerged from the ground in an amorphous shadow. He twisted and spun until he regained his form in front of Team Inferno. In his hand was a pile of golden coins, which he poured into Fallen's fingers.

"One thousand Poké, as demanded. Take care, you two, and please, do not be afraid to come by and drop off your Alliance earnings."

Vigil waved to Avarice as he became engulfed in darkness, disappearing from the room entirely. Fallen struggled not to drop the coins that were given to him, catching stray Poké with his other hand.

"Is it safe to just carry money like this?"

"There is much respect that comes with being a member of the Alliance," Azure reassured the team. "So long as you bare our mark, thieves will be hesitant to try and steal from you. That, and bandits know not to steal from me."

* * *

"Here we are, the largest market in all of Amethyst City."

Fallen and Vigil's mouths gaped open, their necks craned back to take in the large wooden building. Up until now, Fallen assumed all pokémon used tents to protect their shops and services. It was all he ever saw while traversing the city. However, this shop was a gigantic dome, with windows lining the walls. They were too high for Team Inferno to peer in, but they were at eye-level for Azure.

"This market typically carries everything you may need on your missions. I highly recommend it over the independent merchants. Their prices are reasonable, and the Kecleon Brothers are some of the most respected pokémon in the city."

Vigil darted through the aisles of merchandise, enthralled by the variety. Fallen decided to remain by Azure's side and browse alongside him. He didn't want to go off alone while holding all that money in his hands.

"Will Vigil be alright on his own?"

"He will be fine. The Kecleon Brothers have a gift for maintaining order in their shop. Come with me, Fallen. You will need a bag to carry your money, as well as other supplies we purchase today."

Azure walked Fallen through the aisles until they came upon a shelf littered with totes and satchels. The Lucario carefully perused the racks for an affordable, yet durable bag. Eventually, he pulled a brown leather bag off the shelf and offered it to Fallen.

"See how well you can move around with this over your shoulder."

Fallen took the bag from Azure's paw and slung it around. Once it sat comfortably over his torso, he jumped around and dashed through the aisle.

"It feels okay. But aside from the money, it's empty."

"Well, let us purchase some items, and if you find it too heavy, we can replace the bag."

Fallen nodded and followed Azure to a new shelf. This one was filled to the brim with a variety of berries and seeds.

"Choosing the proper items for the mission is crucial. Neither of you know what kind of pokémon inhabit the Astral Cave mystery dungeon. Before you leave on missions, it is your responsibility to do as much research as you can beforehand. Never leave _anything_ up to surprise."

"Shouldn't Vigil be here to listen to this? He _is_ a part of the team too."

"Yes, but as the leader of Team Inferno, you have to make sure your team understands what needs to be done before going on a job."

Fallen sighed. _Why did I agree to be the leader?_

"Astral Cave is filled with a variety of pokémon, but mainly consist of rock-types. It should be the perfect place for you to learn how to fight. Still, you can never be too careful. Now, since we are going to a cave, what do you suggest we bring?"

The treecko thought long and hard about his response, "Well, we would need enough food for the trip, some of those Oran Berries in case we get hurt, and...a light to see where we're going."

"Excellent," Azure grinned. "I have seen how cautious you are when walking the streets. Being aware of possible dangers is an instinct well-suited for the leader of an Alliance team."

"Yeah...I guess so," Fallen's eyes wandered away from the Lucario.

"Is something the matter?" Azure scratched his head.

"I...I can't lead Team Inferno," he could only force the words out in a mumble. "Vigil is much more qualified than I am to handle these responsibilities. I can't even look some pokémon in the eye because I'm absolutely terrified. What kind a leader would I be if I ran from wild pokémon? What kind of leader is scared to speak to his _banker_?"

Azure scrunched his forehead and kneeled down to the young treecko, "Self-doubt will get you nowhere. You are refusing to acknowledge the potential, the _inferno_ that burns deep within you. You are not a coward at heart; you react this way because you are an interloper. Everything is unknown to you, and you are missing pieces of yourself that would normally act as your guide. Do not let the fractures in your head cloud your judgement, nor should you let them break your spirit."

Fallen shook his head, "How can you have this much confidence in me?"

"Because Team Inferno would not exist if I did not witness your true self with my own eyes. Within you, there is an unwavering will, much akin to your team name. You would not have allowed Auris within your mind if your actions were dominated by fear. I do not let anyone who asks become a member of the Alliance. I only select the ones that are truly passionate about our cause."

"Then I shouldn't even be here right now," Fallen crossed his arms. "I only did this because I wanted to help Vigil follow his dream."

Azure stared at the treecko for a moment, a smirk painted across his face. He didn't respond with words, confusing and agitating Fallen.

"Why are you smiling?"

"Hey! Azure, Fallen! Check this out!"

Vigil turned the corner and charged at the two pokémon. Over his head, he held a blue sphere with a similar hue to Azure's fur. He handed it to Fallen, who absent-mindedly fumbled it around in his hand.

"What is this, Vigil?"

"The shopkeeper said it's called an 'Escape Orb.' I told him we needed equipment to go into a mystery dungeon, and he offered me this. He said—"

"Where are you going with my merchandise!?"

A green, reptilian pokémon came around the corner and snatched the Orb out of Fallen's hand. He panted, allowing his tongue to stick out and droop towards the ground. _A kecleon,_ he remembered. Disgusted, the treecko took a step back, only to be halted by the kecleon.

"Don't take another step!" he held his claws out and spoke with a lisp. "I don't condone thieves! Just because my brother is gone doesn't mean I can't hold my own in battle!"

"Zig, what seems to be the problem here?" Azure asked.

"Oh! Azure!" the kecleon responded. "Are these some of your recruits?"

"Yes, they are. Team Inferno, this is Zig. He and his brother, Zag, own this bazaar."

"My apologies to the two of you!" he kindly returned the orb to Fallen. "I thought you two were trying to steal this Escape Orb! When you started running through the aisles, my only assumption was that you were a thief."

"Vigil, I would suggest not running away from a shopkeeper with one of his items," Azure did his best to hold back laughter.

"Sorry about that, sir."

"It's quite alright! I should know better than to assume, especially when my customers are from the Pokémon Alliance! Now, is there anything specific you're looking for?"

Fallen saw this as a perfect opportunity to step up, "Do you have anything to light up dark areas? Maybe a light we can carry around?"

"A light...I know just the thing! Hold on one moment."

Once the Kecleon was out of sight, Fallen turned to his friend, "Vigil, you know what different kinds of berries do, right?"

"Yeah! I'm a berry expert!"

"Grab us any berries that you think might be useful for tomorrow."

"You can count on me!" Vigil cheered as he scurried away to find some berries. All that remained was Fallen and Azure, who was watching the treecko with the same grin he had on seconds before.

"Again, why are you smiling at me?" Fallen grew annoyed with the Lucario.

"You just used your ally's strength to benefit your team. Do you still think you cannot be a leader?"

"What? Vigil mentioned that he used to work on a berry farm. Why are you acting like what I did was anything special?"

"Believe what you will, Fallen. There is potential in you."

Fallen rolled his eyes.


	10. 9: Two Wayward Souls

Surprisingly, the bag slung over Fallen's shoulder did not weigh him down too much. Team Inferno nearly spent all of their money, keeping about one hundred fifty Poké to return to Avarice at the bank. Azure insisted they leave their leftover money in the bank rather than risk losing it in Astral Cave.

The sun rested peacefully behind the Alliance tent. Fallen found the sight to be majestic. The soft colors blended together around the intense crimson of Ho-oh's feathers. Was he supposed to be afraid or amazed?

Team Inferno returned to the base of the hill where the tent stood, accompanied by Azure. Vigil and Fallen exchanged speculation about tomorrow: what the cave would be like, what pokémon they would encounter, and how long the mission would take.

Fallen still kept his doubts about tomorrow. Sure, Azure would be guiding them, but would that be enough? To counter his persistent skepticism, he occupied himself with the item he received from Zig: a white ball that created light at the user's will. Zig called it the "Luminous Orb."

"If you continue to play with that, you will break it," Azure warned, prompting Fallen to place the orb back into the bag.

As they reached the top of the hill, Team Inferno recognized a figure in the distance. A bulbous pink pokémon stood in front of the tent, tapping its foot and occasionally glancing into the Alliance tent.

"Is that Waver?" Fallen squinted at what he believed was the jigglypuff.

"Yeah, it is!" Vigil's ears perked up, only to droop again. "Oh no! How long has he been waiting for us!?"

"Is that the friend you mentioned before?" Azure asked.

Vigil and Fallen nodded, then casually approached their friend while his back was turned.

"Waver?" Vigil called.

The jigglypuff turned around at the sound of his name. When he saw Team Inferno behind him, he jumped backwards out of shock.

"Vigil? Fallen? How'd you get behind me? I've been waiting for you to come out of the Alliance base!"

Fallen chuckled, feeling a bit guilty, "Sorry, Waver. We had to buy a few things in town for tomorrow."

"Well, glad you two had your shopping spree. Now let's get going. We have to leave now if we want to get home before nightfall."

"Uh, actually Waver," Vigil struggled to find the right words, "we...aren't going back with you."

"How come?"

"Well, we..."

"Your friends, Fallen and Vigil, have decided to join the Pokémon Alliance," Azure broke the awkward air.

"Wait, you two are _members of the Alliance?_ When did this happen?" Waver crossed his arms, completely boggled by what he just heard.

"Yeah!" Vigil hopped joyously. "Say hello to Team Inferno!"

"Team Inferno...wow! I didn't think kids our age could even _join._ "

Azure cleared his throat, "The Alliance does not discriminate based on age or experience. We solely judge our recruits based on their potential and morals. These two have shown remarkable undertaking worthy of being members of the Alliance."

"Hold on..." Waver examined the Lucario standing before him. "You wouldn't happen to be Azure, would you?"

"I am indeed."

"The leader of the Pokémon Alliance? Fallen, Vigil, do you guys realize how amazing this is!?" Waver's eyes twinkled with awe as he awaited their response.

"Yeah..." Fallen answered dismissively. After all, he only created the team as a way of thanking Vigil. "But you know, Waver, we're allowed to add anyone we want to the team. And you _did_ say you wanted to see the world too."

"Are you asking me to join your team?"

"Of course!" the Sentret jumped in. "After all, Fallen wouldn't even be _standing_ here if it hadn't been for you and your family!"

"Wow! What a honor!"

"So, what do you say, Waver?" The Treecko extended a hand. "Would you like to join Team Inferno?"

"Fallen...that's right! Your memories! Did you manage to remember anything?"

The Treecko's eyes darted nervously towards Vigil and Azure, only to lock back onto Waver a split second after.

" _He does not know you are a human, does he?"_

A voice rang out in Fallen's head. A deep, well-articulate being was speaking to him. It almost sounded like...

 _Azure? Is that you?_

 _"It is. I am communicating with you using my aura. Do not worry, I cannot delve into your mind the way Auris can. This is simply my method of bridging our hearts."_

 _Well, to answer your question, no. And frankly, I'd rather it stay between us three and the other leaders._

 _"I understand. Then, you should only tell him about the memories Auris unlocked for you. They do not seem to have much bearing on your identity."_

 _Okay. I'll give it a shot._

Fallen gathered himself and spoke to Waver, "There wasn't much they could do. Something in my head is blocking psychic-types from pushing any deeper. All we managed to squeeze out was my knowledge on pokémon."

"Something's blocking psychic-types?" Waver grimaced in confusion. "I thought dark-types were the only ones that could do that."

"We are unsure of what is causing the barrier between Fallen and his memories," Azure chimed in, "but I will have the rest of Team Unity investigate while we are on our mission tomorrow."

"Oh," Waver frowned.

"It'll be okay," Fallen tried to reassure his friend. "I'm sure they'll come back eventually. Now, about joining the team..."

Waver hesitated for a moment, "Well, I—I can't join your team."

"What? But, didn't you say—?"

"I know what I said, Fallen. Trust me, if I could, I would drop everything and become a member of the Alliance." Waver turned towards Amethyst City, watching the colors of the sky darken as the sun set behind him. "But...I can't just go off and leave my family out of the blue. As much as I want to follow my dream, who would I be if I just abandoned my parents? They need me now more than ever...augh! I never should've messed with that request!"

Fallen pondered the jigglypuff's words. He was right. Unlike Waver, Team Inferno had no family in this world. Vigil was now an orphan, and Fallen didn't even know _where_ he came from. They had nothing to lose and nothing to hold them back. The young treecko wondered if he had become a pokémon by choice. Did he leave anyone important behind?

"I guess you have a point," Fallen reluctantly agreed.

"It's too bad you can't join, Waver," Vigil sulked. "It would've been so much fun for the three of us to go on missions."

"If you, for some reason, do change your mind," Azure intervened, "our doors are always open."

"Thank you, Azure, sir," Waver bowed to him and began down the hill. "I guess this is goodbye then. For now, at least."

Vigil's sullen expression flipped immediately, "Oh, don't worry! We'll definitely come visit soon! This isn't goodbye for good!"

"I didn't count on it. Hey, think you guys can do me a favor while you're out exploring?"

"A favor?" the treecko crossed his arms. "What do you want us to do?"

Waver smiled, "I want to hear about all of your adventures the next time we meet. If I can't be there with you, I at least need to know how exciting your lives will be. Deal?"

"Deal!" Vigil reached for Waver's hand and shook it.

Fallen shared as much enthusiasm as Vigil did, but behind that excited mask, he saw an empty smile. It was subtle, but the slight twitch in his face made it apparent to Fallen, who was standing a few feet from the sentret.

Beneath that forced smile was a broken pokémon. He had watched everyone he had ever loved disappear, and now he was watching another friend leave. They had only known each other for a day, but that was all the sentret wanted. It was why he clung so heavily to Fallen, his final hope of having family in his twisted world.

When Waver fell out of sight, Team Inferno congregated with their mentor at the entrance to the base. They descended the stairs and followed Azure down the hallway past his office. There, a red curtain dangled from the ceiling. The lucario gently pulled it back, beckoning for the children behind him to enter.

Hidden from view was an enormous auditorium. Rows of seats trickled down to the base of the stage until they met at the center. There, a magnificent statue watched the invisible crowd intently, its rainbow plumage stretched out, ready to take flight. How could Fallen forget that solemn, dignified gaze?

Azure noticed the sudden change in the Treecko's demeanor, "Fallen? Are you alright?"

Fallen snapped out of his trance and feigned excitement, "Yeah. It's just...this hall is beautiful!"

"He's right!" Vigil exclaimed.

And it was, indeed, a hall built meticulously underground. The walls were painted both a fierce crimson and a serene emerald, separated by a single strip of ivory. The lucario explained that the colors were chosen not only to mimic the legendary bird, but to also convey the Alliance's greatest values: passion and harmony.

"Thus, the founders of the Alliance sculpted the base in the image of Ho-oh. It is why the hallways branch out from the foyer, to parallel the great bird's wings, spread wide to grant those who catch a glimpse of it eternal happiness."

Fallen didn't seem very convinced by Azure's words. With a glare like that, he was surprised it didn't bring eternal suffering instead.

"When the Alliance mark on your palms become red, you must immediately report to the grand hall. That is, as long as you are not in the middle of a mission."

"Right," Vigil and Fallen responded.

"A meeting is rare around the Alliance, and usually we only address the most urgent issues. And, in case you were wondering, your issue will not be brought up until we gather more information, Vigil."

"Oh," Vigil responded distantly. He had hoped Azure would have kept that as a top priority. However, the Sentret did not complain. After all, _he_ wanted to strike down that tyranitar. He loathed the thought of one of the Alliance leaders defeating him instead.

"As for Fallen, do not worry. Your little secret will be kept between the leaders. That kind of knowledge could set the entire Alliance into disarray."

Fallen felt a weight lift from his shoulders. The last thing he needed was for the pokémon around him to become more menacing than they were now.

"Aside from the dojo, there is nothing else to show you in here. There is no point in going there now because the masters are probably wrapping up for the day. We will drop by after the mission tomorrow. For now, I will take you to my room so you can rest for tomorrow's big day."

* * *

Azure turned the knob on his bedroom door and ushered Team Inferno in. There, three hay beds rested equidistant from each other, just inches away from the tight, blue walls.

"I am sorry if it seems cramped in here," Azure apologized. "This room was only built for one. It should suffice for one night. By tomorrow, you two will have your own quarters with the rest of the trainees."

Vigil seemed comfortable with the confined space. Compared to other pokémon, Fallen and Vigil were diminutive. The space Azure's room provided was much larger than the restricted cabins of Lookout Peak. When he lived in the village, the Sentret was crammed into a tiny bedroom with his brother, Vedette. Here, his bed kept plenty of space between its three guests.

Out of curiosity, Fallen walked around Azure's room. The same torches that illuminated the base provided light here, and displayed on the back wall were several precious stones and various treasures. The treecko was mesmerized by the shimmer of Azure's riches, boggled that the lucario would keep them exposed on open shelves.

"Those are mementos from all of my travels, as well as my most difficult missions with Team Unity," Azure reminisced. " Hopefully, sometime along the road, you two will have a treasure cache even larger than this one."

Vigil balanced on his tail to get a better look. He was entranced by the sparkle of the precious gems and the glimmer of polished metals. "I sure hope so! This is leagues beyond my treasure trove from back home!"

Azure chuckled, "Give it some time, and I am sure your collection will surpass even my own. But for now, get your rest. We will wake up at dawn."

The lucario turned his back to them and continued towards the door.

"Wait! Aren't you going to sleep, too?" Fallen asked.

"I have to speak with Team Unity about today's events. I will try my best not to wake either of you up when I return."

Fallen knew exactly what that meant, but decided not to press him further. He was so exhausted from today that all he could do was lie on his bed as Azure shut the door.

Vigil sat on his hay bed, too anxious to lie down and rest. "Fallen?" he called, praying for support.

"Yeah, Vigil?" he asked dismissively.

"Are you still sure you want to do this?"

Those words were exactly what Fallen didn't want to hear. Vigil was the lucky one though, because Fallen was _terrified._ He didn't even think he would be able to sleep tonight because his heart was beating so fast. But deep down, he knew he had to remain strong for Vigil's sake.

As much as he wanted to ease the tension that plagued his friend, Fallen found it hard to lie to Vigil. He kept a promise and resolved never to break it.

"You know, I'm not so sure," Fallen spoke honestly. "But...I think it'll be good for the both of us. You'll be able to find the pokémon that destroyed your home, while living your dream at the same time. Meanwhile, I might be able to figure out why I was turned into a treecko."

"Maybe I'm just worrying for nothing," Vigil sighed, relieving some of his inner uncertainty. "It's just...I've never been away from Lookout Peak before. Being in this base, in this _gigantic_ city...it makes me nervous. _Afraid_ even."

Fallen was shocked to hear the sentret confiding in him. _He was scared? I'm beyond just being scared._

The treecko had hoped Vigil would act as the mental backbone of the team. After all, he was the adventurous one, the one who dropped everything to carry Fallen down the mountain path in the dead of night. That kind of determination and perseverance, in the twilight of prior events, was the one treasure Fallen believed Team Inferno had. It was that smile Vigil always, that unwavering grin, even if it was just a bandage for the pain...who would have believed that under that stalwart exterior was a tender soul?

Fallen remembered his mentor's words: _you are not a coward at heart._ Who was Azure to feed him such lies? If Vigil, the brave and energetic sentret, was shivering in his bed, how was Fallen to fair when they reached Astral Cave tomorrow? He panicked when Auris lifted him with her telekinetic abilities. It was meant to be a courteous gesture, to make up for knocking the treecko on the ground in a hurry.

But if he was a coward now, it would drive Vigil now. More than ever, the sentret needed support, and Fallen was the only pokémon who could offer consolation. Quickly pushing his doubts aside, Fallen tried his best to console his friend.

"Vigil...we can't keep up like this."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean..." Fallen searched for the right words. "We won't accomplish anything if we let fear override our thoughts. I realized that when we left to do our errands today. If we're going to be proper Alliance members, you and I have to let go of all of our doubts."

Vigil pouted, "It's a lot easier said than done."

"You're right. But...that doesn't mean it's not impossible."

Vigil abruptly turned to Fallen, who was reclining in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. The Sentret wondered if this was the same Treecko he had met just a day ago. What happened to the timid, defenseless grass-type that yelped at the sight of a meowstic?

 _He has to be saying this just to comfort me,_ Vigil thought to himself. _There's no other reason. He can barely look another pokémon in the eye._

"Fallen."

"Something wrong, Vigil?"

"Do you believe what you're telling yourself right now?"

Fallen hesitated for a moment, taken aback by the sentret's question. He thought for a moment, until finally, he answered, "I have to. Otherwise, I won't survive in this world. I-I have to be brave."

And there it was. Even in the dim chamber, Vigil could see a single tear run down Fallen's face. It was something he didn't expect, but it was proof enough that for the first time, the treecko was opening up.

"You really do keep your promises, huh?"

"Like I said, no more lying."

Vigil felt relieved to see his friend willing to be honest with him. After all the lies he told, the thoughts he kept behind an apathetic mask...for once, Fallen was taking off the shrouds that hid his true intentions.

And Fallen could feel the fetters that weighed him down unlock. The truth was mentally setting him free, allowing him to sleep peacefully.

But before then, Vigil had something else still on his mind, "...Say, Fallen?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you think Azure and the other leaders are talking about?"

Fallen sighed, "It's definitely about us. What else could be so important to talk about right now?"

"Do you think they'll be able to help us both?"

Fallen yawned, "I mean...there's not many other options. As much as I want to focus solely on our problems, we need to take everything one step at a time. I learned that the hard way."

"You're right," Vigil smiled, curling up in his hay bed. "Well, I think it's about time we got some rest. Good night, Fallen."

"You too, Vigil."

After a few moments, the sentret spoke up again, "Oh, and Fallen?"

"What is it?"

"...Thank you."


	11. Interlude: Under the Moonlight

"Well it's about time Azure!" Auris rebuked him for being late.

The Lucario casually stepped into the office, shutting the door behind him. Laurel stood behind her desk and Auris sat in front of her, arms crossed, glaring at him.

"My apologies," he spoke softly and sincerely. "Our preparations took much longer than I expected."

Auris rolled her eyes, "There's always an excuse with you, isn't there?"

"What matters is that I am here now. I believe it is finally time to address what happened today."

"Yeah, we've waited long enough for you anyways."

Azure ignored Auris and shifted his focus to Laurel, "Recount how you met the two members of Team Inferno for me."

Laurel nodded, "Fallen barged into my office in a panic. When I noticed him, I did my best to calm him down. Apparently, he had gotten lost on his way to the request board with his friends. He told me he had lost his memory, and so I helped him find his friends, Vigil and that Jigglypuff, as well as had Auris try and fish out whatever he had forgotten."

"But, that backfired," Auris continued. "Something was keeping me from unearthing his dormant memories. It was unlike any barrier I had ever seen before."

"Describe it to me," Azure commanded.

"It was a giant blue fire, an inferno. It's almost ironic they chose such a name for their team. I managed to put a dent into it, but once I did, it created a giant shockwave and sent all of us towards the walls, aside from Fallen."

"So that was the disturbance I felt," Azure thought. "The blue fire...tell me, did it glow similarly to the guild marks?"

"In a way, I guess it did," Auris remembered, staring at the guild mark that churned over her paw. "But it was much stronger. And besides, an aura barricade is child's play, even if it's yours Azure."

"I see. Did you manage to find out how he came to Herbon?"

Auris shook his head, "His first memory is of him waking up and...falling from the sky."

"He fell from the sky?" Laurel gasped. "How in Arceus' name is he walking?"

"Their Jigglypuff friend is from a family of doctors. They patched him up and had him down a Snorlax's fill of Oran Berries. Anyways, I assumed a flying-type pokémon probably dropped him, but that didn't make any sense. He would've remembered, at least for a short time, being carried by a Pokémon. Where could he have come from?"

"Well, maybe the incident at Lookout Peak might shed some light into that," Laurel added.

"Maybe," Auris hoped. "Did you manage to squeeze out any more information from Vigil?"

Azure shook his head, "I decided against pressing the child. Although he seems excited and adventurous on the exterior, his aura is the exact opposite. I did not want to force up those terrible memories. He has had enough to deal with over the past day."

"Well then, how are we going to know what happened, Azure? It was _your_ job to get Vigil to tell you what he saw!" Auris asked angrily.

"Yes, yes, I know what I was supposed to do, and I failed. But I would rather not harm the child in the process of selfishly attaining information."

Auris shook her head, "It's not selfish if it means keeping the rest of the world safe! Sacrifices have to be made for the greater good! You should know that better than anyone here!"

"There is no further reason to argue this. We cannot change the decision I made. You two will have to investigate Lookout Peak, or rather, what's left of it."

"You want _us_ to leave the base _unattended?_ " Auris questioned the Lucario's sanity. "The Alliance doesn't run itself, Azure."

"There are several pokémon qualified for the job. Since Lupe is handling missions already, I am sure she would not mind supplying the teams with their rewards. Besides, the request Team Inferno took should only last into mid-afternoon. I will be able to manage the Alliance from then until the two of you return."

"Alright, Azure," the Meowstic deadpanned.

"Laurel? Do you agree?"

"Yes," the Bayleef gave a determined look. "As is the mission of the Pokémon Alliance."

"Excellent. Now, if you two will excuse me, I need to speak with _them_ for a bit."

"It's been quite some time since you last needed to talk to _them_ ," Laurel frowned. "Do you think _they_ might be able to help in some way?"

"A human has entered a world meant solely for pokémon. If anyone will be able to guide us, it will be _them._ After all, Fallen is not the first one. Sleep well, both of you. I will see you later tomorrow when we will discuss your findings at Lookout Peak."

"Good night, Azure," Laurel replied.

* * *

A human, here, in this world, and transformed into a pokémon. Azure thought such a phenomenon could never happen. A human had somehow crossed into this world from someplace that only humans exist. What a turn of events, and what a situation for the lucario to be thrust into.

So many questions bombarded his mind as he walked through the desolate streets of Amethyst City. The moon shone immensely in the darkness, lighting the way for him. Not a single pokémon walked the streets, and the only sound in the air was the impact of Azure's feet to the cobblestone.

It had been so long since he last met with _them_. Before, he would disclose every bit of information to _them._ He enjoyed allowing the hours to pass, conversing with those two, for at one time, _they_ were his everything, his drive to push onward, even when age continued to debilitate him.

But time had a tendency to catch up with Azure, no matter how routine his life could become. This was the toll of his vitality. Nothing ever lasted forever for him, and it always ended the same way. He was not afraid of death, but death seemed to be apprehensive of him.

And so, Azure continued down these streets until he came upon a certain tent. Although businesses for the day had all closed, the lucario knew this pokémon would oblige. Quietly, he stepped into the purple tent and called out into the darkness.

"Avarice," he whispered, trying not to startle his friend. He was always easily alarmed when he began running the bank.

No answer. He decided to call out again, "Avarice!"

Again, no answer. So, rather than using his voice, he decided to summon his friend another way.

 _Avarice, are you awake?_ he reached out to the sableye's mind.

" _Azure? What in Arceus' name are you doing here at this late hour?_ "

Just then, a shadow emerged from the darkness, gathering into the sableye's form. Avarice rubbed his diamond eyes and yawned, "This had better be important."

"My apologies for waking you, Avarice. However, I need to speak to _them_ urgently."

The sableye tilted its head, "You haven't asked me to do that in years, not since I—"

"I know, I know," the lucario cut him off. "Just, please, Avarice. This is a very important matter."

"I bet it has to do with that Team Inferno, doesn't it?"

Azure gritted his teeth, "Yes, it does."

"Let me guess: the treecko is not as he seems."

"No, he is not."

"I noticed," Avarice chuckled. "I can tell the difference between nerves and fear. It's ingrained in any dark-type's instincts. That child was surmounted by fear. No one could be as afraid of pokémon as he was, the very beings that inhabit this world, unless they never encountered them in the first place."

"Before I tell you, promise me this conversation will stay between us."

"You're speaking to a pokémon who guards money for a living," Avarice laughed. "My lips are sealed."

Azure nodded, "Fallen is actually a human."

"A human?" the sableye's eyes glowed brighter.

"Yes. Now you see why I need to speak with _them._ "

Avarice nodded, "Give me a moment, then."

Azure took a few steps back, allowing Avarice the room he needed. The sableye sat on the ground and watched the lucario until the soft glimmer faded from his eyes. Two shadows began to form on both of his sides, emerging from the ground and becoming two figures. They were nebulous and unstable, and each of them expelled wisps of shadows from their beings.

The one to the left exposed two atoms of light from where its face should have been, "Azure...it's been so long."

The shadow to the right stood on two legs, opening its eyes to the lucario, "It has been quite some time, hasn't it?"

"It is good to see you both after so long," Azure smiled. "However, I am afraid now is not the time to recount the tales of the past few years."

"Is something wrong, Azure?" the quadruped asked.

The Lucario hesitated for a moment, "I encountered a child today. He is quite special. So special, in fact, that I have allowed him to join the Alliance."

"Azure, get to the point," the shadow on the right urged. "You know Avarice cannot keep us in front of you for that long, especially since he must be out of practice."

"Fine," the Lucario sighed. "This pokémon...was once a human."

"A _human_!?" the two shouted in tandem.

"I am afraid so. The poor child, stolen from his family and condemned to this world as an interloper."

"But, the last human—"

"He is not from this world at all. I have reason to believe he is from a plain of existence where humans reign as the only sentient beings."

"Another human..." the standing shadow pondered. "Does he remember how he got here?"

Azure shook his head, "All he remembers was falling from the sky. He has no recollection of what happened prior."

"Then how in Arceus' name did he get here?" the left shadow seemed confused.

"Perhaps he found a way to cross the Dimensional Boundary," the bipedal shadow hypothesized. "But, after all these years, a mere _child—_ "

"If that were the case, he would most likely have half of the Lustrous Orb in his possession, which he does not."

"Could it have been... _him?_ " the one on the left wondered.

"No. I would have sensed his aura if it was."

"The Lustrous Orb is the only way he could've traveled between dimensions. Palkia, even dormant, split up the orb for a reason."

"I am sending Auris and Laurel to investigate a certain location that might have the answers we need. I will speak to you again as soon as I receive their report. For now, if you two could ask around the spirit world for assistance, then—"

"You know meddling is against our agreement with Yveltal. If word gets out that we shared information with you from the spirit world, no living pokémon will be able to channel us again."

"It is the risk I am willing to take. I have a feeling this human's appearance is part of something much greater than that. So long as I am still alive, I will do my best to preserve this world's future."

The two shadows nodded in agreement and began losing their form, "Avarice seems to be growing fatigued."

"Get some rest, Azure," the left shadow begged. "You can't keep pushing yourself like this."

"I will be rest when this world is safe from whatever catastrophe is about to ensue."

"Azure," the shadow on the right called.

"Yes?"

"Keep shining, my friend."

Azure smiled proudly, "I will. As long as my heart continues to beat and this aura continues to flood my veins, I will shine."

As he spoke, the two shadows dissipated, and the sableye that sat between them immediately stirred.

"Did you get what you needed?" Avarice yawned.

"Yes. Thank you very much, Avarice."

"Now go to bed like the rest of the pokémon, _please._ "

Azure nodded and proceeded towards the bank's exit. However, after putting a foot through the tent's opening he turned his head halfway to Avarice.

"You know, the Alliance could really use you again."

Avarice smirked, "The fate of this world no longer matters to me...not after what happened to Serenity. I'm surprised you haven't retired yet. Those old bones must be wearing thin."

"These legs have plenty of time left to guard this world. Should you change your mind, though, our base is always open, especially for a powerful pokémon like you."

"I'm flattered, Azure. But I don't see myself returning anytime soon, or _any time_ for that matter."

"Suit yourself," Azure waved and returned to the base.


	12. 10: Eclipse

Darkness ravaged the world within Fallen's subconscious once again. It was eerily similar to his comatose hallucinations the night before, or at least, that was what he wrote them off as. This time, however, he felt a chilling air riding down his spine, and an ominous breeze pushing him along.

With no inkling of where he could be, he decided to walk against the wind. He was sure that beyond his vision would be dangerous, so countering the gale seemed like his best option.

 _"So you are the kind to push against the breeze."_

A disembodied voice stopped Fallen in his tracks. The gusts retaliated with more force, making it harder for the treecko to fight his fate.

"You again!? What do you want from me!?" he called out to the oblivion, now jogging against the current.

 _"I am a friend. You can trust me."_

"If you're really a friend, then show yourself!"

 _"I am afraid it is not so simple."_

Fallen grew infuriated, "How can I trust you if I can't even _see_ you!?"

 _"A valid point. However, it is not that I don't want to show my face. Something is interfering with our communication. It is why...this plane...is so...desolate."_

"Oh no! You're not getting away this time!"

Fallen turned around and began dashing forward, allowing the powerful winds to push him along. He pushed onward, hoping to find the being that spoke to him. After what seemed like hours, all that surrounded him was darkness.

"Where are you!? _What_ are you!?" he called out again.

" _I...am..."_

—

"Fallen? Are you awake?"

In a fit of rage, the treecko's eyes shot open as he punched the hay beneath him. It took Vigil a few minutes to calm down his friend, who had continuously flailed and thrashed about until he came to the realization that he was awake.

"What's gotten into you!?" Vigil yelled. "Did you have a nightmare or something!?"

Fallen, regaining his composure, responded, "Y-yeah. I think I'm okay now. Sorry if I worried you or anything."

The newly awakened Fallen surveyed his surroundings. It was Azure's room, but something seemed amiss...

"Where's Azure?" he yawned. "I thought we were getting up at the crack of dawn."

"It _is_ the crack of dawn."

Fallen sent Vigil a confused glance, "What!?"

"Yeah, so we better get going. Also, I don't think Azure ever came back into the room last night. I mean, look at his bed. Usually there'd be an indentation where he was lying."

"What? Don't tell me Team Unity was up all night talking about us."

Vigil shrugged, "I sure hope not. Come on. Maybe we'll find him in his office."

Fallen turned to Azure's bed, which, unlike Team Inferno's, did not have an indentation from its owner. The Lucario never returned as he promised, forcing Fallen to wonder what exactly his mentor had been up to last night.

The duo, now confident enough to navigate the base themselves, sauntered to Team Unity's offices. Vigil knocked on Azure's door, then waited a moment for him to open. However, there was no answer.

"Where is he?" Vigil wondered.

Fallen shrugged, "Maybe Laurel and Auris know?"

"We could ask."

Vigil and Fallen wandered into Laurel's office, where the bayleef and meowstic were packing two bags of supplies.

"Oh, Team Inferno!" Laurel greeted them. "Did you sleep well?"

"You could say that..." Vigil feigned a smile. "Are you two going somewhere?"

Laurel and Auris exchanged a glance, then brought their attention back to Team Inferno. Auris broke the silence, "Laurel and I have some business in Beryl Marsh. We won't be back until the evening."

"Okay," Vigil smiled politely. "Well, we were wondering if Azure was around."

"He didn't sleep with you two last night?" Laurel seemed confused.

Fallen shook his head, "He said he was going to speak with you two last night, then come back when he was done."

"Well, we _did_ have a discussion last night," Auris answered. "But it didn't last all night. Maybe an hour tops. He should've went to bed afterwards." Auris pondered where Azure might have been, until it finally dawned on her. "Don't tell me..."  
The meowstic walked up to Azure's side door and twisted the knob. The door was locked, so she stopped trying to open it with her paw. Instead, she enveloped herself in her psychic energy and slid the lock out of place. She then flung the door outwards, revealing Azure's office.

Team Inferno filed in behind Auris to find the lucario slumped over, legs crossed over his cushion. His breathing was heavy, yet calm, and his eyes were closed.

"Azure, how many times do I have to tell you to get some rest?" Auris approached the sleeping pokémon with a raised paw. Azure did not respond.

"Are you going to make me do this?"

Once again, silence.

In the blink of an eye, Auris sent her paw across the lucario's face, leaving a red mark to contrast his black and blue fur. Azure's eyes burst open, and his body jolted upright at the acute pain in his cheek.

"Auris!? What time is it!?"

The meowstic crossed her arms, "Time for you to get going to Astral Cave. Or did you forget about our two new recruits?"

Azure's attention shifted to Vigil and Fallen, who patiently awaited the lucario's response.

"Fallen, Vigil...did you rest well?"

"Probably better than you did," Vigil eyed his mentor. "How come you didn't sleep in your bed?"

"I had...urgent matters to attend to," his vision wandered to an empty wall. "But I believe we should be going soon." Azure began to stand up, beckoning the two children to follow, "Come. We will have a quick breakfast and be off to Astral Cave."

Fallen barely noticed the bloodshot streaks that ran across the whites of Azure's eyes. The lucario dragged his feet with each step, as if he struggled to lift his legs. How long had he been up last night?

"You do not have to worry about me. A few Chesto Berries should keep me going for the day. Promise me, however, that you will get plenty of sleep before your missions each night. It is unhealthy to stay up as long as I do."

Auris rolled her eyes, "If only you'd listen to your own advice."

Azure glared at the Meowstic, "Shall we?"

—

Azure trudged down the halls of the Alliance base with Team Inferno in tow. The children exchanged worried glances as they watched the lucario limp to the mess hall. He struggled to keep his head up, and occasionally found himself dozing off.

"I need to...get to the...bottom of this..." the torpid Lucario muttered to himself.

Plagued with concern, Fallen whispered to Vigil, "Is he going to be okay for the mission today?"

"I hope so," Vigil prayed. "He said he'd just eat a bunch of Chesto Berries, but how long can he last without sleep?"

Azure sensed the distress within their hearts, "My apologies, Team Inferno. I know that I am not in the best shape for a mission, but I can assure you that it will be safe by my side."

Fallen and Vigil scratched their heads. Azure couldn't even speak properly, as if he was in some drunken stupor. Anxiety made the two children tense up as they marched to the mess hall.

Upon entering, Azure plodded to the short line. Fallen took a quick look around the room, only to find a few teams sharing conversations. The long benches only sat one or two teams of about four pokémon each.

"The rest of the Alliance must hate mornings," Vigil remarked.

Azure chuckled, "This is why I prefer to leave at dawn. Any later, and all of the members will flock the mess hall, as well as flood the markets. Although the two of you will have free reign when I am no longer mentoring you, I highly recommend preparing the night before. You will thank me later."

"Early has never been a problem for me!" Vigil shouted proudly. "Whenever harvest season came around, I would be up _before the sun!_ "

Fallen dreaded the thought of waking up any earlier than they already did. He still felt a bit groggy, but knew not to complain. At least he had _gotten_ some sleep.

"Wait. Vigil, how did you know it was dawn? There aren't any windows in the base."

"My instincts tell me," the Sentret explained. "Most pokémon can tell when day is approaching without even looking outside!"

As Fallen received his plate of food, he imagined pokémon instincts obscuring his judgement, forcing him into decisions he wouldn't normally make, dictating his every action. He saw it as an impediment, something that would cloud his logical reasoning. Was it really something he would eventually come to rely on?

The trio of pokémon found a table relatively close to Vorax and the other chefs. Azure fumbled his plate, nearly spilling all of his fruit. When he was seated, he picked up a fresh, purple berry and took a bite out of it.

Fallen glanced over to Azure's plate and saw that those same purple berries piled up. It was the only berry Vorax prepared for him.

 _Those must be the Chesto Berries Azure was talking about._ Fallen thought to himself. _I guess that's how he expects to stay awake for the rest of the day._

 _"_ Azure, I thought you said Vorax didn't serve berries with added effects," Vigil realized.

"I always make sure Vorax keeps Chesto Berries on hand for whenever I have my...sleepless nights."

Already, the effects of the Chesto Berries were energizing the lucario. His speech no longer faltered, and his once glassy and distant eyes were now alert and rested. Aside from the veins that ran across his eyes and the bags beneath them, Azure appeared to have slept as long as Team Inferno did.

Feeling a bit relieved, Fallen began eating from his own plate. He found himself testing several berries from his assortment just like yesterday. Some flooded his mouth with a wonderfully sweet flavor, and others he spat out from disgust.

"Hey, mind if we sit here?"

While chewing on a berry, Fallen turned to the source of the voice. Standing beside him was a bipedal pokémon with a combination of cobalt and ebony fur. His cardinal eyes gleamed with energy, bearing a certain resemblance to the lucario who sat across from them. However, he was much shorter and seemed much younger. A riolu, Fallen remembered.

"Ah, Oracle," Azure acknowledged the pokémon. "I see Team Eclipse is up early as usual."

"You know it, Azure!" the Riolu cheered. "Say, these some new recruits?"

"Yeah we are!" Vigil shouted across the table. "We're Team Inferno!"

The riolu's eyes lit up, "What a name! Well, Team Inferno, allow me to introduce you to my team. Fletch, Noire, Aster! Got us a couple seats over here!"

Out of curiosity, Fallen searched for the pokémon whose names were called. Exiting the lunch line were three distinct beings. One wore a mane and tail of fire, with a single horn mounted between its eyes. Another stood upright, clad in a black dress with white bows tied to the torso. The last one was covered in a coat of obsidian, with cerulean rings scattered throughout its body.

As the three pokémon approached the table, fear crept up Fallen's spine. _They're not going to hurt you. They're Alliance members, just like you are. And...they're pokémon, just like you are now._

"Is something wrong?" the riolu addressed Fallen. "Your aura reeks of fear. Oh! It must be because of Fletch, huh?"

Fallen flinched when he realized

"W-which one is Fletch?" Fallen asked.

"The Rapidash. You know, the only Fire-type in your line of vision. I heard grass-types like you get easily spooked by fire"

Fallen glanced back at the rapidash named Fletch. His heartbeat immediately accelerated at the sight of her vehement mane. He hadn't felt that way staring at the other two pokémon.

"Don't worry. She can't even sit at the table anyways," the riolu reassured Fallen. "I'm Oracle, by the way: leader of Team Eclipse!"

"F-Fallen," the treecko replied, waving an awkward hand in the air. "L- _leader_ of Team Inferno."

"And I'm Vigil!" the sentret jumped out of his seat to greet Oracle.

"Well, Fallen and Vigil, let me introduce you to my team. First, there's Fletch, the fastest rapidash you will ever meet."

After reaching the table, Fletch met with the group of pokémon, keeping her distance from the bashful treecko, "A new team! Well, looks like we have some competition, don't we?"

"Then, there's Noire, the deadly and highly intelligent gothorita!"

The bipedal psychic-type met Team Inferno with a diabolical glare. "Try not to _die_ on your first job," she giggled.

"She can be a little...morbid, at times," Oracle laughed. "And finally, the master of darkness, king of the night, Aster the umbreon!"

"Do you really have to be so dramatic _every time_ you introduce us?" the umbreon rolled his eyes.

Vigil ran up to Aster, completely mesmerized by its appearance, "You...you're shiny! That's so awesome!"

The Umbreon backed away, "Not when everyone you meet has to point it out..."

"Oh," Vigil frowned. "Sorry about that."

"No worries," Aster smiled. "It's nice to meet you two."

The umbreon hopped onto the bench beside Vigil. Noire sat across the table from them and Oracle planted himself next to Fallen. Fletch was too large for the table, so she stood within the aisle and ate her food from the edge of the bench.

"So, are you two going on your first mission?" Oracle asked.

"Y-yeah," Fallen pretended to be comfortable around Team Eclipse. "We're headed to Astral Cave after breakfast."

Oracle nodded, "Sounds like a good place for a grass-type's first mission. Although, I can't say the same thing for Vigil..."

"What do you mean?"

"I have trouble with rock-types," Vigil answered. "But it'll be really good experience for you! And if something goes wrong, Azure will be there to help out!"

"Hold on," Aster intervened. "Azure's going _with_ _you?"_

"Fallen is an amnesiac, and Vigil has never been through a Mystery Dungeon," the Lucario said. "Thus, I have taken it upon myself to show them exactly what they will be dealing with during their time in the Alliance."

"Wow..." the riolu's eyes lit up, much like Vigil's did when he was imbued with excitement. "Having Azure as a mentor...you're so lucky!"

"Oh please, Oracle," Noire scowled. "You'll never surpass Azure by letting him guide you. Remember why you formed Team Eclipse?"

"Hehe, I guess you're right Noire. Still, what an honor!"

Team Eclipse began to recount a few of their experiences as an amateur team. Oracle told them about their most recent excursion to Copper Bog, describing the sodden terrain in vivid detail. Aster would intervene whenever the riolu chose to exaggerate his tale, while Noire and Fletch focused on their food.

Fallen and Vigil payed close attention to Oracle's words, regardless of how far-fetched they would have seemed. Vigil was awestruck by his intriguing recollection, but Fallen listened for other reasons. If he had to lead Team Inferno today, he needed every advantage he could get. He took notice of Oracle's shortcomings and fastened them to the back of his mind.

"Suddenly, we were surrounded by a bunch of muk! Normally, Fletch would be fast enough to create an opening. But we could barely move in all that mud! Just when I thought we were down for the count, Noire pulled out a Spurn Orb and saved all of us!"

"You're lucky I thought to buy one before we left," Aster added. "I figured since we wouldn't be able to run away, why not force them away? Thank Arceus Noire thought to pull it out in time."

Azure, however, distanced himself from the riolu, disconnecting himself from the two novice teams that surrounded him. His eyes occasionally darted to Oracle, but Fallen assumed he was just fighting off sleep.

When Team Inferno finished their plates, they disposed of their plates and said farewell to their new friends, Team Eclipse. As Azure led them out of the mess hall, a horrible truth came to Fallen's mind.

Team Inferno would be going on their first mission.


	13. 11: The Cave of Light

"Here we are. Astral Cave."

Fallen and Vigil trembled as they stood in front of the mystery dungeon. Azure kept the cave's true nature a secret during the journey over, letting Team Inferno stew in their nerves. And yet, here there were, standing in front of what seemed like any ordinary cavern. Had they come alone, they would have never understood the secrets that lay beyond Astral Cave's mundane exterior.

"Now, remind me again what the mission you selected was."

Fallen rummaged through their bag for the request and handed the charred piece of paper to Vigil to read.

"We have to rescue a togepi that wandered in and got lost," Vigil said.

"Right. That means we have no idea how long this will take. For all we know, the togepi will be easy to find. However, the opposite is just as likely. We could be in there for _hours_ if the child is deeper into the mystery dungeon."

"You're a lucario, though," Vigil said. "You should be able to guide us to her with your aura, right?"

Azure shook his head, "I am afraid that my aura will not act as it would normally in the outside world."

Fallen began to grow agitated, "Are you ever going to tell us what a mystery dungeon is, because I'd really like to know before we charge in and get ourselves _killed._ "

"Patience, Fallen. I was just getting to that. But to first understand mystery dungeons, you must first understand how they came to be. Mystery dungeons did not come into existence until after the Great Schism."

"What's the Great Schism?" Fallen interrupted.

"It's when humans disappeared from this world, right?" Vigil asked.

Azure nodded, "The Great Schism was the result of a tear in the fabric of space. Every human that lived on the four continents were pulled in, leading to their extinction. Fallen, however, is living proof that the Great Schism was not the end of humanity, and that somewhere between the stitches of time and space, humans are thriving."

Fallen absorbed his mentor's words, hoping that some part of it would force a memory free. Sadly, the Great Schism didn't remind the treecko of anything.

"This world never truly recovered from that calamity, and thus, mystery dungeons were born. I must emphasize that Astral Cave is _no ordinary cave._ No matter how many times you navigate it, no pokémon will be able to tell you how to get through it."

"So you don't know how to get us through here?" Vigil asked.

"Afraid not," Azure replied. "The walls within a mystery dungeon constantly change. No pokémon has ever traversed one with the same room layouts. That is why I said this could take a few hours if we cannot find togepi quickly. My apologies, Team Inferno. I wish I could be a little more useful to you during your first excursion. However, all I will be able to offer the two of you is my advice. With that being said, it will make you much stronger the less you learn to depend on me."

Vigil and Fallen exchanged worried glances.

"Wild pokémon run rampant in mystery dungeons, but they are much more hostile than ones you will find in nature. If one spots you, expect a fight. However, while in battle, you must remember to conserve your energy. Some mystical power within these dungeons drain our energy. You are probably wondering why I insisted we bring so much food. Having food in surplus is a _necessity._ "

Fallen turned to the cave's entrance. What seemed like a regular cave now expelled a cloud of darkness from the mouth of the grotto, devoid of life. It was more like a portal to the afterlife rather than to a mystery dungeon.

"Are you both ready?" Azure asked.

Vigil nodded, "More than I'll ever be."

"Fallen?"

The treecko steeled himself for their job, or at least, attempted to, "R-ready."

"Take the lead then. I will offer support from the back."

Fallen hesitantly pulled out the Luminous Orb from their bag and took a step inside. Vigil and Azure followed behind, walking side-by-side. The treecko shivered as he carefully took steps into the hollow, looking in every direction in case danger lurked. The glistening white orb in his hands did nothing to illuminate the path, regardless of how tightly he crushed it in his hands. Fallen felt stranded amidst the darkness, just as he did in his recurring nightmares.

"Azure, didn't Zig say this would be able to light the way for us?" he asked restlessly.

"We have not yet crossed into the dungeon. Keep walking forward."

Vigil did his best to peer into the darkness, "I don't see anything out of the ordinary. A pair of luxray eyes or noivern echolocation would really help right about now."

"You will not be able to see anything at all," Azure said. "We are crossing into the mystery dungeon. As of right now, we are crossing the Dimensional Boundary, for these labyrinths exist outside of the space-time continuum."

As Azure finished his sentence, Fallen saw a single dot of fuchsia light in the distance. He wanted to run towards its soft, elegant glow. To him, it was solace within the shadows he crept through, a glimmer of hope for the journey to come.

Another light shone in another direction, this one a cool lavender. Soon, Astral Cave was invaded by hundreds of iridescent flares, dimly shaping a labyrinth for Team Inferno to search. Finally, the Luminous Orb that was wrapped tightly in Fallen's fingers ignited, revealing their surroundings in brilliance.

"Wow! No wonder it's called Astral Cave!" the sentret became fascinated by the cave's beauty. "It's like walking through outer space!"

"You two picked a magnificent destination for your first mission," Azure agreed. "However, do not let its comforting interior fool you. This place is dangerous. Be on your guard."

"Right..." Fallen murmured.

* * *

Astral Cave B1F

Team Inferno stood at the center of a vibrant crossroad. Three paths branched out into different areas of the dungeon, each with their own kind of danger. Or at least, that was what the young treecko convinced himself when he glazed over every corridor.

"Azure, can that aura stuff track down a togepi?" Fallen asked.

"It is impossible," Azure replied. "Something about these mystery dungeons interferes with my ability to communicate through aura. I suggest you select a path soon before some wild pokémon come by. I am sure you above all of us wish not to get into an undesirable battle."

" _I_ have to pick the way to go?"

"Well, of course," Azure smiled. "You _are_ the leader, after all. Vigil can provide input, but other than that, it is your decision which path to take."

"Vigil? What do you think?"

"Hmmm," the sentret hummed. "How about the right?"

Fallen, phased by the sudden position of authority, decided to follow Vigil's instincts and take the tunnel on the right. They traveled through the short corridor to appear in a smaller, tighter room.

The careful treecko took a second to survey the room. He saw nothing out of the ordinary, aside from a round object on the floor, and how the gems mounted to the walls appeared much brighter there than anywhere else in the room.

"Azure? What is that over there?"

"It is an orb of some kind, much like the Luminous Orb you are holding right now," Azure said. "Occasionally, pokémon will leave items lying around, either because they were defeated or, well..."

"Hold on..." Fallen pondered his mentor's words. "You said pokémon. You've only ever mentioned _wild_ pokémon."

"I am glad you caught that. Yes, wild pokémon may carry food and berries. However, some inorganic items are left behind by sentient pokémon who most likely failed to get through the dungeon."

Fallen gulped, "So did they... _die?"_

Azure remained silent, ignoring the treecko's question and frightening him even more.

"That orb might be useful," Vigil broke the silence. "Go get it, Fallen!"

"What!? Why me?"

"You _do_ have the bag..." the sentret smirked.

Fallen sighed, "Fine."

The cautious Fallen took short steps towards the mysterious sphere. He stopped periodically and turned to Vigil and Azure. Vigil gave his friend a supportive, yet nervous smile, while Azure observed his every move with a watchful eye.

As he got closer, the orb took on a dark violet, but the natural color was overwhelmed by the rainbow of bright jewels on the walls. Fallen reached out to the lilac orb until it rested comfortably between his fingers. He held it up and watched as the stew of lights permeated through.

"Azure, what kind of orb is this?" he asked.

"Hm," the lucario hummed. "I believe that is a Slumber Orb. Do I need to explain what it does?"

Vigil enjoyed the smooth blending of colors within the orb. As Azure and Fallen continued to talk, he became entranced by the reds and blues dancing in cadence, getting brighter and brighter with each passing moment. It was as if the lights were moving closer and closer to them...

 _Wait._

"Uh, guys?" the sentret began to worry.

"Vigil? Something wrong?" Fallen asked.

"B-b-b-b—"

"Spit it out, Vig—!"

"Behind you!"

Fallen was slammed to the ground a few feet away from Team Inferno. Azure and Vigil quickly backed up, ready to assess the threat. In front of them were five floating gemstones, all radiating a different color from their bodies. All the pieces immediately came together in the sentret's head.

"That's why the light was so intense...those weren't gems! Those were _carbink!_ "

Fallen took several short breaths to regain his lost wind. When he got back up, he could hear his conscience scream at him to run away. But then there was Azure, who staunchly fixed his gaze on the wild carbink. There was no running from this one. After all, he needed to learn to fight somehow.

"You two should be able to handle this on your own," he said. "Fallen, if you are to be victorious, you must allow the fighting instincts within you awaken. Let it guide you through this battle, while at the same time restraining it, so that you can learn to make executive decisions on your own."

"Azure, I'm not even sure if I _have_ those instincts!" Fallen yelled. "I'm not really a pokémon, remember?"

"You may have not been born a treecko, but you are a treecko nonetheless. It is there; you just have to free it!"

Azure sent a pleased grin to Fallen and stepped backwards a bit more. Suddenly, the carbink split up, chasing down both members of Team Inferno.

Vigil quickly countered by jumping out of the way, then followed up with rapid slashing and swiping. This, however, did minimal damage, and the carbink's callous exterior allowed for swift recovery.

The sentret then used his sharp claws to burrow underground, dodging the onslaught of rock-types coming his way. Confused, they directed their full attention to the hapless, petrified treecko on the other side of the room.

"Vigil! Where did you go!?" Fallen called, but there was no answer.

The carbink took advantage of his panic by surrounding him. The pack of jewels hovered around him, ready to charge at any second. Fallen thought back to Azure's words. His instincts...if they truly were there, now would be the time to let them out. He called upon his mind's eye in search for the fighting spirit his mentor knew he had.

 _Please, if you're in there, I need your help. My fighting instinct...do you actually exist?_

And then they charged.

But before they could ram into him, Fallen vaulted over all of them, landing on his feet about a yard from where he was originally. He turned around and slammed his verdant tail into the closest carbink, sending it flying across the room.

He settled again, amazed at the feat he had just pulled. Azure merely wore an observant glare, giving the treecko no indication on if his strategy was sound. As soon as he opened his mouth to ask, however, three carbink came flying towards him. Fallen sidestepped away, grazing past one of them and drawing blood on his shoulder.

"Gah!" he cried out. "Their bodies are sharp!"

Another one came zipping towards him. As soon as it got close, Fallen slammed his tail into its side and sent it towards the other three. The carbink landed on the ground, but bounced back after a few seconds.

Fallen concocted a brilliant idea as the carbink attacked again. He decided to do the one thing he promised not to: run.

And so he dashed around the room in circles, allowing the fairy-types to chase him. As he did, however, Fallen could feel himself gaining speed, even more than he believed he had. The carbink proved too slow for his plan to execute. He wanted to run into a wall, but jump away at the last second, in order to lodge their bodies into the cave again.

Instead, his instincts guided him once more, and using his newfound agility, circled behind the distraught carbink. He ran up to them, hoping to catch them while they were confused.

That would have ended the battle...

However, a sudden pain rushed into his leg, even worse than it did when he had first entered the pokémon world. He tried to stop himself, but the momentum forced Fallen to tumble and land right in front of the carbink. He wanted to stand up; his body _screamed_ for him to get up, but his leg refused to move.

He screamed in agony as the pain worsened. The leg he thought was good-as-new turned out to be a lot more fragile than it appeared. The four carbink levitated over Fallen, cackling at his blunder. They knew who the victor was, and Fallen knew he had let Azure and Vigil down...

Or maybe not.

Vigil shot out of the ground like a rocket, launching them away from Fallen. The carbink flew into the cave ceiling at rapid speeds. On impact, the gems were lodged into place. They fidgeted and squirmed, but it proved useless. The force of Vigil's body held them in place, putting an end to the battle.

"Fallen!" Vigil yelled and ran to his friend.

The pain only continued to intensify, as if his leg had shattered again. Vigil crouched down and tried his best to calm Fallen down.

"Fallen! You need to relax!"

"I'm—trying! Ahhh!"

"Ok, ok. Take deep breaths."

Fallen pushed breaths out of his lungs, and with his best effort, swallowed the pain. His entire body tightened, making every inhale shorter than the next.

"We packed tons of Oran Berries, but you're the one with the bag," Vigil said. "Do you think you can get them?"

"M-maybe," Fallen grunted.

He pulled his rigid arm away from the ground and into the bag. After a bit of digging, Fallen snatched a small blue berry and forced it into his mouth. Although all the pain had not yet waned, the treecko felt comfortable enough to move his leg.

"I thought Waver said my leg was good as new," Fallen muttered.

Vigil frowned, "What did you do while I was underground?"

"I tried to force those carbink into the wall, so I ran as fast as I could. Then the pain came back."

The lucario approached Team Inferno, "Did you injure your leg recently?"

Azure examined Fallen's leg, tapping it in places to discover where the worst pain was felt. The lucario triggered a horrific amount of pain when he struck the center of Fallen's shin.

"Ahhhhh!"

"Your leg...it's shattered," Azure said. "But it appears that the worst fracture is in the center of your tibia. And yet, it's healed quite a bit from when it was first injured."

Azure held both of his paws over Fallen's broken shin. He focused his aura from his heart into the fracture, expelling a cobalt blaze from his palms. The essence poured into the fissure, slowly connecting the severed pieces of bone back together.

The aura left Fallen with a relaxing warmth. His composure quickly returned, and the agony that tormented him was smothered.

"Thank you, Azure," Fallen said while munching on his Oran Berry.

"I must say, your strategy was quite clever. However, you failed to assess your own health. Running at such high speeds will make your leg much worse than it already is. Your jigglypuff friend could only do so much. Now, you must let time finish the job."

"How long do you think it'll take to heal?" Fallen asked.

"A few more days at the earliest," he replied. "You will have to adjust your battle style accordingly until you are ready to move properly again."

Fallen nodded in agreement and began leading his team again. Although, he began feeling resentment for himself. He let down Azure and Vigil by losing his first battle. After Azure had assured countless times that he would do fine, he nearly got himself killed. Fallen wondered if he truly had it in him to persevere, or if his lucario mentor was just trying to make him feel better about himself.

They entered another wide, empty room. On the other end was a tunnel, one that seemed to descend further down into the dungeon. Fallen had no idea whether it was a beacon of hope, or an omen of disasters to come.

"Azure, where do you think that leads?" Fallen asked, limping slightly.

"Mystery dungeons are rather strange," Azure answered. "That staircase will take us to a new section of Astral Cave. However, going back will be impossible. It is your decision, Fallen: do we remain on this floor and search more for the togepi here, or do we continue on and hope it is somewhere deeper in the dungeon?"

"I...I don't think the togepi is on this floor."

"Why's that?" Vigil asked. "We haven't even checked it all yet."

Fallen pondered his statement for a moment, "I'm not sure. It just... _feels_ like it's not here. I think it'd be better if we press on."

"Ok..." Vigil reluctantly agreed. "You _are_ the leader, after all."

"Then I will respect your decision as well," Azure said. "Shall we?"

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you all so much for being patient with this next chapter. I had been dealing with a lot over the past few weeks, so I decided to take a short break from writing to catch up on my studies. With that being said, I'd like to thank all of you for your support of my work, because I really do enjoy writing this for all of you. Have a wonderful day.**


	14. 12: Life or Death

**Astral Cave B2F**

"Gee, I'm getting kinda hungry..." Vigil moaned.

"Maybe we should stop for a bit and rest," Fallen proposed.

Team Inferno stood at the top of the stairs, their vision suffocated by the bright lights on the walls.

"You are not starving, are you?" Azure asked Vigil.

"Well, no," the Sentret answered.

"These mystery dungeons drain your energy much quicker. It will make you want to eat within shorter intervals, and if you do not manage your food properly, you will run out. If I knew we would not be in Astral Cave for a long time, we could have stopped right here. However, that togepi can be anywhere. It is in our best interests to preserve our food for as long as we can."

"If you say so..." Vigil sulked.

"Let's just hope that togepi is close by," Fallen shuttered.

After meandering through another tunnel, Team Inferno was welcomed by a pair of geodude enjoying a meal of apples. They had not yet noticed the team enter the room behind them, a fact Fallen thought to exploit.

"Vigil, think you can get underneath them?" Fallen asked.

"Shouldn't be too hard," Vigil said.

"Then dig, but don't come out until I say so. Alright?"

The sentret prepared to claw into the ground until he was halted by Azure, "Are you sure about this plan, Fallen?"

The lucario's stern demeanor caused Fallen to second-guess. He was so sure of his last plan, only for it to end in disaster. But this time...his plan was foolproof. There was no way that either of them could mess it up.

Then again, perhaps Azure knew something about the situation that neither of them realized. Maybe he was being hesitant to get Fallen to pay closer attention to the environment. The cautious treecko took in his surroundings once again. The room was empty aside from the geodude in the center. None of the lights were bright enough to be exposed as carbink, and not a single pokémon hung from the ceiling.

But what good were the treecko's eyes compared to the abilities of his two companions? Vigil's species boasted exceptionally sensitive sight, and Azure possessed an incredible talent for detecting aura. Fallen was not alone.

"Vigil, see anything strange?" the treecko asked.

"Hmmm," Vigil scrutinized the room. "Nothing out of the ordinary here."

"Azure, can you double-check?"

The lucario stood perfectly still, smiling down at Fallen.

"Azure?"

"I have already scanned the room with the remnants of aura I am able to muster," Azure said. "Other than those geodude, it is empty."

Fallen was immediately taken aback, "What? Then why did you—"

"Because I wanted you to learn how to take advantage of your resources and strategize accordingly. Had I not warned you, Vigil would have obeyed you blindly. The two of you were prepared to wander into a situation in which you did not collect enough information. Of course, without Vigil's eyesight or my aura, I would not expect you to survey every inch of Astral Cave. The fact is, however, that your teammates are just as important to success as you are."

Fallen clung tightly to Azure's words. He resolved to repeat these lessons in his head, in order to lead Team Inferno the way Azure expected him to.

"Ready, Vigil?"

"Sure thing!"

The sentret extended his claws and pierced the ground, prying away dirt and rocks and creating a cloud of dust at the end of the corridor.

"Phew," Fallen said. "The geodude still haven't noticed."

"Then I suggest you finish executing your plan," Azure replied.

"Right," Fallen nodded. "Mind holding the Luminous Orb for a bit? We can't risk those geodude seeing it."

Fallen handed the glowing orb to Azure before silently emerging from the dust cloud. The two geodude continued eating with their backs turned, letting the sly treecko approach. Sweat dripped from Fallen's face as he inched closer and closer. His nerves took over, forcing him to shudder and stumble.

He fumbled around on all fours until he regained his balance. Holding his breath, he remained perfectly still for several moments, ready to strike in case the rock-type duo decided to turn around.

Much to Fallen's surprise, the two pokémon carelessly chomped on their meal, putting the treecko's fragile heart at ease. When Fallen was mere centimeters behind the pokémon, his pulse sped up yet again. Adrenaline pumped through his body, and he wasn't sure whether it was from fear or excitement. Either way, Fallen detested it, because the result was him being a coward or a psychopath.

"Now, Vigil!" he yelled before bashing his tail into one of their heads. Vigil rose from beneath the dirt and hurled the other one away before it could lunge at Fallen. The two geodude groaned before picking themselves up.

"It wasn't enough!" Fallen said, gritting his teeth.

"How about we both take one?" Vigil proposed.

"Sounds like a plan."

The two children split up, each cornering a geodude. Before Fallen could get close, however, the other rock-type flung itself in his direction. With no opportunity to dodge, Fallen was left defenseless, bracing himself to take a lethal blow from the flying stone.

 _Catch it!_ Fallen screamed in his head. His fighting instinct—or at least what he assumed it to be—took over. He held out his hands in front of him and waited for the moment the geodude made direct contact.

Fear struck yet again, and rather than watching and waiting to catch the rock, he cringed and squeezed his eyes shut, in hopes that maybe, just maybe, this really was one ridiculous dream.

The treecko screamed as the spinning geodude scraped against his palms, but also reveled in what he had just accomplished. Somehow, Fallen had actually caught the geodude. The treecko refused to let it go, for his instincts had something else in mind.

Fallen pressed his fingers against the geodude, allowing himself to be enveloped in a bright green light. The geodude cried out as the pressure within Fallen's leg lifted. Using the geodude's life force, Fallen was able to speed up the healing process.

He didn't want to let go either. It was rejuvenating, especially after all the pain he had experienced in the past few days. Even the remnants of poison in his system seemed to thin out until it disappeared completely.

The geodude in his hands no longer screamed in agony. Instead, it wheezed and choked, as if Fallen was suffocating it. It was then that Fallen realized what he was doing, and flashbacks from the mountain path came spiraling back. He remembered how Vigil slashed that spinarak, not even allowing it to run away. He could recall how it gasped for air and begged for mercy, just like this geodude did.

Fallen tossed the geodude away before sinking to the ground. He buried his face in his hands and let the tears stream down his face.

 _Is this the instinct Vigil and Azure talked about? Is this what happens when instincts take over? Do they make pokémon murderers?_

"Fallen?" Vigil approached his dejected friend.

"He has not yet controlled his instincts," Azure said, trailing behind. "Do not blame yourself, Fallen. There is a savage part of all pokémon that has plagued us for centuries. We can never truly separate from it, but for the most part, it can be suppressed."

"What if—?" Fallen whimpered. "What if I end up hurting someone I care about?"

"That will never be the case," Azure said. "So long as you care about the well-being of those around you, feral instincts will never turn against you."

* * *

 **Astral Cave B4F**

Team Inferno had been searching for several hours. Fallen was beginning to wonder if he had left that poor togepi on the first floor when he decided to venture forth. It was a judgement call he made on a whim, a split-second decision influenced entirely by instinct, something he vowed never to rely on so heavily ever again.

The Alliance members traveled through a narrow tunnel, this one much darker than the floors prior. Not a single gem provided light in the somber passage. Fallen now relied on the Luminous Orb to guide them through the dim corridors, while Vigil and Azure adjusted their senses accordingly. The soft lights and the allaying warmth of the orb put Fallen at ease, if only for a while.

However, as Fallen began to calm down, Vigil was beginning to lose composure. His sensitive eyes revealed the slightest shift in the environment, one that he knew meant danger was lurking somewhere.

"Is it just me, or are the walls coming closer together?" he asked.

Fallen took a look at the walls around him and shrugged, "It's too dark for me to tell the difference."

"I am not sure myself," Azure said. "However, you sentret have eyes stronger than mine will ever be."

Much to their dismay, Vigil turned out to be right. After a few more minutes of walking, the ceiling inched closer and closer to Team Inferno, leaving Azure very little room to stand up straight. The walls tightened around them, forcing them into a perfect single file. The only way to move now was forward.

"Looks like Vigil was right," Fallen said.

"Indeed," Azure added. "Your eyes are unlike any other sentret I've seen."  
Fallen continued to lead the team down the attenuated tunnel. After several more minutes of meandering, Fallen saw something in the distance.

"I think the end of the tunnel is up ahead," Fallen said, squinting at the hole just a few yards away.

"Thank Arceus!" Vigil sighed. "I thought for sure there would be—"

 _Screech!_

A cacophony of high-pitched terror resonated through the tunnel. The room began to shake, forcing Team Inferno to lose their balance and collapse. Struggling to pick himself up, Fallen covered his ears and saw the source of the noise.

There had to be one hundred of them, all swarming in front of the team. A wall of golbat hovered over Team Inferno, all expelling the same blaring tones. Their mouths gaped open, and within them was the last thing Fallen wanted to see. Their fangs were soaked with a sinister liquid, one that Fallen was all too familiar with...

Venom.

Before he could process what was happening, the golbat soared towards them. Fallen felt the world around him fall apart, just as it did when he was attacked by the spinarak. Flashbacks of that awful day came spiraling back.

He thought he could be brave. He thought that maybe, in this horrific world, he could survive, and maybe even make a difference for the one pokémon who gave him a second chance. All of his hopes and dreams, crushed in an instant. That was, until Fallen heard a voice.

 _"The orb! Use the orb!"_

An idea developed in Fallen's mind after the voice spoke, one that might get all of his friends out alive.

"Vigil! Take the Luminous Orb!" he tossed the orb at the sentret.

"R-right!" he yelled through gritted teeth, catching the sphere with his tiny paws.

"Azure! How long can you hold them off!?"

"That does not matter. I will fight until you say otherwise." And with that, the lucario focused energy into both of his hands, creating two masses of aura in each. He sent them flying at the swarming golbat, displacing a few of them until they reformed into the same voluminous cluster.

Fallen didn't mind. In fact, Azure was doing exactly what he wanted.

The treecko rummaged the bag of supplies until he came upon two orbs. One was the eerie Slumber Orb he found early on the mission, and the second was a bright blue sphere emitting a comforting, sheltering essence. Zig called it an Escape Orb, and explained that it could transport a group of pokémon out of a mystery dungeon. Team Inferno bought one for a situation just like this, a scenario when all odds seemed completely stacked against them.

But now he had this Slumber Orb, which could put a few of the golbat to sleep, if not all of them. However, doing so would mean Fallen would have to continue to brave this horrid dungeon, carrying on until the togepi is found.

Then Fallen remembered the togepi. Team Inferno couldn't leave that scared togepi here, especially with a flock of golbat flying around. Should they escape, it would be dead for sure.

Either Fallen would have to take a life away, or risk his own.

And so, he held the desired orb into the air, commanding it with his mind. A flash of light filled the room, only to dissipate mere seconds later.

Vigil clung to the Luminous Orb with his eyes shut. Meanwhile, Fallen stood up and rested his eyes upon the dozens of golbat lying on the ground unconscious, lulled to sleep by the purple shards of glass that were strewn about.

When challenged with a decision between bravery or cowardice, Fallen put others above himself for the first time. The treecko grinned in admiration of his fortitude.

Azure returned to Fallen and kneeled before him. He placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled.

"I recall you telling me that you were not fit to lead Team Inferno," he said.

Fallen was right. He wasn't fit to command his team. In fact, without that voice to guide him, he would have died right where he stood. Rather than bringing the mysterious voice to Azure's attention, he let his mentor praise the decision as if it were solely his.

"Maybe you were right," Fallen smiled, trying his hardest to feign honesty. "Maybe I can be a leader."

"I didn't doubt you for a second, Fallen!" Vigil cheered. "I knew you had it in you!"

Fallen laughed at Vigil's comment. However, it was tough for him to wear an honest mask in the face of his sentret friend. He had promised never to lie to Vigil, and already he was breaking that promise.

But the voice was a mystery even to Fallen. How would he explain to his comrades that he was hearing someone else speak to him in his mind? It was as difficult as trying to prove his former humanity to Vigil and Waver, who he suspected still had their skepticisms. Besides, he already had a slew of problems that were out in the open. Opening another can of worms seemed like a bad idea.

Fallen decided to drop the subject entirely, "We should probably get going before these golbat wake up."

"Good idea," Vigil agreed.

Team Inferno cautiously tiptoed around the sleeping golbat horde. Fallen and Azure did so with ease, as their legs were long enough to reach over to the gaps. Vigil, however, found himself needing to use his tail to bounce over the dormant pokémon.

When they finally reached the end of the tunnel, Team Inferno opted to take a short reprieve. Fallen and Vigil pulled apples from the bag and ate as Azure pulled out one last Chesto Berry to ensure he would be alert for the rest of the expedition.

"I hope you understand why these mystery dungeons are so dangerous," he said as he bit into his Chesto Berry.

Fallen nodded, "Anything can happen here. Just when I thought it would be smooth sailing, we nearly died."

"Your decision to put them to sleep rather than run away was a brilliant act of altruism. You allowed the togepi a chance to live, a chance to be free from this twisted space."

"What made you think to use one of the orbs anyways?" Vigil asked.

"Well, I-uh, I just—"

"Someone! Anyone! Please!"

A shrill cry reverberated from the other end of the room. Out of the tiny alcove came a distressed pokémon, clad in a broken eggshell and running for dear life. Tears ran down its face as it hurried away.

"Say, is that...?"

"Hey! Wait!" Vigil called out, forcing the pokémon to stop dead in its tracks.

"P-please don't hurt me!" the poor child sniveled.

"We're not going to hurt you," Vigil said calmly. "We're from the Pokémon Alliance. What's your name?"

"I'm...Grace," she mumbled. "Grace the togepi."

"Well, Grace," Azure approached. "We will escort you out of the dungeon and back to the Alliance base."

"Stay between the three of us. You'll be safer that way," Fallen commanded.

"Uh...o-okay."


End file.
